Source
Source for: Louisa Stewart McKell, 1 JAN 1860 - 30 AUG 1889
Index
Name source: Details: McAfee/Pinney Family Tree Citation Text: Record for Willia
m Bowen Hughes - 2014-09-10
Birth source: Details: McAfee/Pinney Family Tree Citation Text: Record for Willia
m Bowen Hughes - 2014-09-10
Burial source: Details: McAfee/Pinney Family Tree Citation Text: Record for Willia
m Bowen Hughes - 2014-09-10
Burial source: S383Page: Louisa Stewart McKell Hughes
Text: Birth: Jan. 1, 1860
Spanish Fork
Utah County
Utah, USA
Death: Aug. 30, 1889
Spanish Fork
Utah County
Utah, USA
It was an extremely cold winter in the year 1859. Robert and Elizabeth McKell had been living in Goshen with their two little boys, Robert and Henry. Elizabeth was expecting another child and, knowing it was near the time for her delivery, she wanted to be at her mother's home in Spanish Fork. In December, Robert put the covered wagon in shape, made a bed in the back, and with all their belongings, they started on the journey home. To help protect his wife and the boys from the cold, Robert hung a huge iron Kettle with hot coals from the bows of the wagon. Nowadays the distance from Goshen to Spanish Fork by automobile is short and easy but then the trek by wagon was slow and difficult. Under the circumstances, it was undoubtedly worrisome for Robert and painful and arduous for Elizabeth. It was probably comforting to know that all would be well as soon as they arrived at the Boyack family home, a large adobe house then situated on the Southwest corner of the block, just West of John Booth's drugstore, where the Faraday apartments now stand.
A warm hearth and welcoming arms greeted the little family. And they were none too soon, for in the early morning hours of the New Year, January 1st, 1860 triplets – three little girls – were laboriously born to Elizabeth; Louisa Stewart, Elizabeth Ann and Mary. A now faded newspaper clipping of an item inserted by Grandmother herself seems to verify that these were the first triplets born in Utah County. Elizabeth Ann and Mary died in infancy but Louisa lived to fulfill a rich measure of her creation and herself become a mother in Zion.
As a girl, Louisa was a comfort and a help to her parents. Being the oldest girl of eleven living children, her responsibilities were many. She had a normal girlhood in a home of sorrows and illnesses, yet many joys and much happiness, in a spiritual, tender environment. There was also fun in the companionship of young people. Through Louisa's letters kept of her courtship and early married life, we learn of her beaux and of her girl friends. Many were the parties at the homes, and dances in the old Morrison hall.
At 17, Louisa went to Salt Lake City to work in different homes doing housework at $1.00 a week. Several of her girl friends were also engaged in like work there, among them Jane Boyack, Grace Robertson, Maggie Powell, and a sister, Ellen McKell. Their "sport" was watching for and meeting the young couples who came to Salt Lake to be married in the Endowment House. Louisa writes of sometimes having a "Run" a "Date" we call it now, with some of the young men who came up from Spanish Fork occasionally. Sunday night meetings were the usual practice when she could.
It seems that Louisa's heart was set on William B. Hughes from the beginning. In her letters to hint, she speaks of these other "Runs", but always of her love and her desire to get home for a "Run" with him, which happened whenever and as often as they could get together. William was attending the Brigham Young Academy in Provo at that time and from him came endearing letters to warm the "cockles" of her heart and give "encouragement to her aching feet and tired back and arms", for she worked hard to earn her pay. One especially dear letter from William to Louisa read in part: "May love reign between us, my darling, and everything go on as bright and lovely as a day in May. May we live and love each other and become one is what I hope to come some day. Can you say Amen to that? If so, tell me so, my darling. Well, no more at present: write soon, do. Goodnight, my darling, for you're dear to me, so take care of yourself. From your lover, truly, Wm. B. Hughes.
Every letter showed sweet devotion, confidence and love on both sides. A letter from Louisa begins, "My dear beloved" and at the bottom, as she signed "L.M." was "I hope it will soon be L.H. to W.H.". Beautiful sweethearts They were married December 18, 1879 in the Salt Lake Endowment House for time and Eternity. They made their home in Spanish Fork.
Work was plentiful building railroads so William went to Castle Valley in Emery County. He became a partner with David Malcolm and together and together they operated a mercantile store and handled commissary on the railroad. It required him to be away from home a great deal.
The first child to the happy couple was born December 5, 1880. He was blessed and named William McKell Hughes and affectionately called Willie. Louisa was a patient and devoted mother, keeping busy in the home and yard too. In a letter from William to Louisa when Willie was 6 months old, he wrote of the work soon to be nearer to Spanish Fork and they would then be able to be in each other's "society" more often. He continued: "You must be good to yourself and Willie for you are the pride of my life. I thank God that He has seen fit to bless me with such a kind and loving wife and a little child. Have patience, dear, and do not fret yourself about me, for I am all right. Such a good little mother I love you more and more every day of my life and to be away from you is almost as much as I can bear." And then he cautioned her not to pull weeds or do things that "would overheat your milk" for the little one, to let his brothers help out with the heavy work. He said in closing, "God, our Eternal Father, may His blessings be with you both is my fervent prayer, from your husband to his loving wife Louisa Hughes." Louisa's letters showed her concern over William's welfare and her great love for him and her devotion to Willie.
The McKell and the Hughes families were most compatible. All were exceptionally kind and considerate of Louisa. They helped with the farming land and the cattle while William was away but William was a good provider.
A baby girl was born to William and Louisa February 25, 1883; they named her Hannah Elizabeth. Great was their grief, however, when they had to part with her in death after three days. In May of 1884, compensation in the form of another baby, Delbert, gladdened their hearts and their home and brought a brother for Willie who was then past three years old. Jennie May came on December 12th, 1886. At this time Louisa had a terrible hard travail; the baby was in birth for 36 hours and finally, upon delivery, the "top of the little head was like a piece of raw beefsteak."
By this time William was in Spanish Fork and at home more. In the following two and one-half years their house was in order and contentment reigned; everything was going along so beautifully. A handsome baby boy came in August 1889 but after a few days it seemed that something was radically wrong. Louisa had started with a fever. William was grief-stricken and later told in heartbreaking sorrow of the struggle, which was made to save his sweetheart's life. Dr. Pike of Provo was the nearest doctor; to get brandy for an antidote, they had to get it from Salt Lake City by train. The fever Louisa had was called childbed fever in those days and they had no miracle drugs with which to combat it as we have today.
Little Robert Edward was but seven days old when Louisa died. His Aunt Ellen who had married William's brother, David, reared him lovingly until he was three years old, at which time he died of "water on the brain." With Louisa's passing, the grief in that home and to all who knew her was keen; a young mother just twenty nine years old leaving four small children and such an adoring husband seemed irreconcilable. William said that never again would there be a midwife in his home. Feather beds were tabooed and life was "soured" for him forever.
Jennie, who was barely three at the time, remembers seeing her mother's beautiful dark hair hanging over the side of the bed. In life, Louisa's hair was so long that it reached below her knees. It was jet black and exceptionally well cared for always. Jennie too remembers at the cemetery, the horror of the sound of the dirt as it was shoveled into the grave and struck the wooden box, which contained the casket. This has stayed with her all her life but Jennie has learned that "Life separates sometimes but death cannot part. And Love will last beyond them both."
That Louisa was much loved by all who knew her as attested by family and friends. A tramp was never turned from the door without food and the Indians worshipped her. There were many fruit trees in the Hughes yard and some of the Indian women would help Louisa cut and put the fruit on the shed top to dry for winter. She would then give them fruit for their own use; they learned to love her through such associations. Louisa's son, Dell, remembers the grief of some of them when they were told that she had gone to the Great White Father. One of the telegrams, which was among the bundle of letters, given Jennie, was from a business associate to William; it read in part: "She was the best woman I ever knew. May a kind Providence help you."
A short life on earth, yet to her children, grandchildren and great grand children, she left a rich heritage: her love, her generous nature, her devotion to husband and children and to parents on both sides and their families, her gracious refinement. These and more, leave memories of a precious character.
In brief tribute to her mother, Jennie wrote:
"Till the sunset fades to evening
When night's curtain will be drawn,
And we wait to greet our mother
In God's great Eternal Dawn."
By her daughter, Jennie May Hughes Brockbank
Family links:
Parents:
Robert McKell (1823 - 1903)
Elizabeth Boyack McKell (1838 - 1916)
Spouse:
William Bowen Hughes (1859 - 1932)*
Children:
William McKell Hughes (1880 - 1950)*
Hannah Elizabeth Hughes (1883 - 1883)*
Delbert Bowen Hughes (1884 - 1977)*
Jennie May Hughes Brockbank (1886 - 1975)*
Robert Edward Hughes (1889 - 1892)*
Siblings:
Robert Wilson McKell (1856 - 1921)*
Henry James McKell (1858 - 1936)*
Mary McKell (1860 - 1860)*
Elizabeth Ann McKell (1860 - 1860)*
Louisa Stewart McKell Hughes (1860 - 1889)
Ellen Robena McKell Hughes (1862 - 1951)*
William Boyack McKell (1864 - 1936)*
Emma Jane McKell Brockbank (1866 - 1925)*
Margaret Ann McKell Hansen (1868 - 1956)*
David Alexander McKell (1870 - 1951)*
John Edward McKell (1873 - 1896)*
Joseph Gibson McKell (1875 - 1963)*
Lucy May McKell Beck (1877 - 1905)*
*Calculated relationship
Burial:
Spanish Fork City Cemetery
Spanish Fork
Utah County
Utah, USA
Plot: Plot: 05.12 .07
Maintained by: Bonnie Huish
Originally Created by: John Warnke (inactive)
Record added: Dec 18, 2006
Find A Grave Memorial# 17061866 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=17061866
Residence source: Details: McAfee/Pinney Family Tree Citation Text: Record for Willia
m Bowen Hughes - 2014-09-10
Death source: Details: McAfee/Pinney Family Tree Citation Text: Record for Willia
m Bowen Hughes - 2014-09-10
Residence source: Details: McAfee/Pinney Family Tree Citation Text: Record for Willia
m Bowen Hughes - 2014-09-10
Residence source: Details: McAfee/Pinney Family Tree Citation Text: Record for Willia
m Bowen Hughes - 2014-09-10
Residence source: Details: McAfee/Pinney Family Tree Citation Text: Record for Willia
m Bowen Hughes - 2014-09-10
Death source: Details: McAfee/Pinney Family Tree Citation Text: Record for Willia
m Bowen Hughes - 2014-09-10
Name source: Details: McAfee/Pinney Family Tree Citation Text: Record for Willia
m Bowen Hughes - 2014-09-10