ELLEN LAVENDER WHEELER

Ellen's mother was a dressmaker by trade, in England, and she taught Ellen to sew as neat as herself. She made her own patterns, all clothing was hand made. The underside of her work had to be as neat as the outside. The stockings were all hand knit. Her mother also taught her reading and writing and arithmetic, for there was no school near for her to attend.

When she was a young woman, a doctor in Ogden asked her to learn to care for the sick and become a mid-wife. She went to the homes with the doctor. He taught her the uses of many medicines, and what to do for the sick, and to confine the mother and care for the new babe. She was such a good mid-wife people came for her from far and near, and wherever she lived she was called among the sick. She was able to reassure the sick and make them feel safe and comfortable. She always prayed when she came to the sick, for them, and for herself, that she might be able to help them. Sometimes she had to go on horse-back or even walk or over the river in a boat at night. She was seldom paid for this service, as most of the people were very poor. Sometimes they gave her produce.

Ellen was a beautiful girl, dark complected with black curly hair, and dark brown eyes, 5 feet, 5 inches tall with her shoes on, and weighed 145 pounds. She had good health except for occasional attacks of gall stones.

She was married on Christmas Day 25 December 1864, to Levi Lincoln wheeler, son of Levi Wheeler in the Old Endowment House in Salt Lake City. They traveled by ox team from Ogden to Salt Lake. She described the Temple which was then under construction. She said the foundation was being made at that time, and a yoke of oxen could be driven around on it side by side because it was so wide

Ellen and Levi lived in Ogden. Levi worked for his father, who owned a saw-mill, and lumber yard at Ogden. Later they moved up Ogden Canyon to Eden, where the saw-mill had been moved. There four of their children were born.

By this time her husband had taken her sister, Sarah Jane, for a second wife. Her sister had a home close by. The families were always together, were very happy and agreeable. Ellen waited on her sister when her children were born.

Ellen was always afraid of the Indians. They would pass by her house and stop and ask for biscuit, and she always gave them food. One day they stopped and she had none ready, the bread was not baked yet. Two of the Indians came to her door after she had told them she had none, so one raised his tomahawk to kill her. Ellen took her broom quick to hit the Indian over the head, but the other Indian pulled him away and they all got on their horses and left quick as they could.

Two of Ellen's children were lame. Her oldest daughter, Ellen Josephine, while helping her Aunt Sarah Jane, went out to hang the baby's diapers on the clothes line. She stepped in a post hole which the snow had filled and blown over and injured her back or hip. She was lame afterwards. A few years later her son Ezra was sick with a fever and was in bed for a long time. Ellen cared for him as best she could. When he was finally well again he was lame. It had been decided that he had had polio, which had not been heard of at that time.

Ellen and Levi moved to North Ogden so their children might attend school. Three children were born there. Ellen's mother died and her son Ezra stayed with his grandfather, George Lavender, and attended the Weber school, where Pine View Dam is.

Ellen and Levi moved with their family to Lewiston, Utah, and then to Franklin. While at Lewiston Ellen and her sister Sarah Jane each had a farm home. They were located on Bear River, and that place was called Beaver Dam Flat because there were beaver dams on their farm. He still worked for his father at the saw-mill. When his father was very old he sold the saw-mill. Levi worked for Hank Palmer for a time while he operated the mill on Marsh Creek south of Dempsey. Their last two children were born while they lived at Franklin.

About 1892 Ellen and Levi moved to Tilden, Idaho, where they farmed and owned cattle, and panned gold along the Snake River.

There was no post office or ward there at that time. There was no bridge over the Snake River nearer than Blackfoot, and only the railroad bridge crossing the Snake River at American Falls. Settlers had to go to Blackfoot or American Falls to shop. It took two days when they made the trip to Blackfoot, because of the distance and slow travel over unimproved roads. They stayed over night. On one occasion Ellen had accompanied her son Ezra and his wife to American Falls to shop. They crossed the river in a boat after driving as far as the railroad bridge near the town. On their return trip as they reached the river they found the boat missing. Someone had used it to go over the river to the other side. It would be late when they would reach home. They decided to walk over the railroad bridge as there was no train visible. When they were nearly across a train passed.

About 1900 they moved to Ririe where they farmed until they were very old and had to retire. They moved to Wapello to be near their daughter in their old age. Levi had been struck by lightning. He was in failing health.

Ellen had hoped for a long time that she would not go first because she was sure no one else could take care of her husband, or have the patience to wait on him as she did. Her wish was granted and he did not have to be left alone. He passed away 5 January, 1918. Ellen visited her children and made trips to the Logan Temple.

She had gone to care for the sick in every community or place she had lived; sometimes when the weather was very bad and over bad roads. She had never refused anyone. When she was old, and when doctors were plentiful, she asked people not to call her, but many people came for her in the night when someone was suddenly ill and she would always get up and go to help them. She raised a family of nine children. Their names were: Ellen Josephine, Levi William, George Lincoln, Ezra Lorenzo, Emma Flora, Martha Ann, Mary Alice, Charles Burt, and Lydia May.

Ellen made dyes from the wild plants and shrubs to dye the wool which she used for clothing, and the yarn from which she knit sox for her husband and stockings for the children. She knit beautiful lace for pillow cases and trimming for the baby clothes. She was never idle. She kept her knitting handy and picked it up whenever she had a moment to spare. She carried it with her to Relief Society and knit as she walked along without missing a stitch.

She worked in the Relief Society in every ward where she had lived. She enjoyed piecing quilt blocks and making them into quilts. Her work was neat and perfect. She was kept busy by her family and friends at this hobby. Her eye sight was always good. She could see to thread her own needle and had never worn glasses. She enjoyed reading, was never old fashioned, and liked to learn to do something new. She said she could learn to do whatever someone else could.

Wherever she had lived she had beautiful flower beds, and lovely house plants.

She was proud of her grandchildren and great grandchildren, and was very happy when any of them did worthy deeds or went on missions, etc..

She died 14 October, 1927 of a gall bladder ailment after a short illness. She was nearly 82 years old. She is buried in the Blackfoot Cemetery beside her husband.

Most of the facts for this history were related to Ellen Cornwall Anderson, daughter of Martha Ann Wheeler Cornwall, granddaughter of Ellen Lavender Wheeler, by Ellen Lavender Wheeler herself