Before continuing on with the life of Sarah Ann and Charles I decided this is a good time to write about father Kidgell, Charles Sr.. Charles Sr. was born 5 Aug 1806 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England to Joseph Kidgell Jr. and Ann Platts. He has one older brother, Henry.
Charles Sr.'s ancestral lines end at about 1732-35.
This is not because of my efforts of research but, of a second cousin once removed, Lily Jane Miller, who lives in Manti, Utah. Our common ancestor is Sarah Ann and Charles Jr., they are her first Great- grandparents and, as a reminder, they are my second Great-grandparents. Lily Jane has done considerable research on the Kidgell's for many years back when it wasn't so easy and has done a wonderful job of sourcing. I am very grateful for her willingness
to share information with me.
When father Charles Sr. came to Utah in 1859 at the age of fifty three he had
been married twice.
At age twenty one Charles married Marie Vale on 13 August 1827 in the parish of Wolverhampton, Stafford, England. In my minds eye she was beautiful! Marie died just a month before their third wedding anniversary. I do not know of any children.
Charles met another beauty Caroline Loftus who was just eighteen years old when he married her on 31 May 1831 in Aston Juxta Parish, Birmingham, Warwick, England. Six children were born to them, Charles Jr. being the oldest and only boy, Henrietta Elizabeth b 1835, Caroline b 1836, Ann Maria b 1838, Martha b 1841, and Helen b 1844.
Mother Caroline died just before baby Helen's first birthday, 2 Oct 1845 of Pleuropneumonia, Emphysema, at St. George, Birmingham, England.
Baby Helen died at seventeen months of pneumonia at Aston, Warwick, England in 1846.
Charles joins the Church of Jesus Christ-of-latter-day-Saints in 1853.
Daughter Henrietta married William Procter in 1855 and sadly she died in 1857, no children.
Daughter Ann Maria marries after father Charles leaves England to a John Leigh in 1861.
They would have four children which I'm thinking never see's their grandfather Kidgell.
The only information I have on daughter Martha Harriet is she died at age eighteen in 1859 and I'm guessing this happened before father Charles left for Zion in May 1859.
Daughter Caroline who married John Higson is the one who traveled with her father Charles Sr. just eleven months after marriage (1858) and has her first baby just as they sail out of Liverpool for America. They had six boys and one girl! They joined the LDS Church in 1854.
Researching the Newspaper I found this ad taken out by Charles Sr., of two stray cows that came visiting and wouldn't go home. So simple so fun to find!
Charles married again. I only know her by her first name, Harriet and she is twelve years younger than Charles. I am guessing that 1861 is the year they married. A record on
Utah Deaths and Burials, 1888-1946 https://www.familysearch.org/
gave me her birth year and place; Blockswitch, Stafford, England and of course
the day she died. The following article I found in the Newspaper explains her death.
This says a lot. At age sixty and forty eight, Charles Sr. and Harriet desire to adopt a child. An orphan boy. Capt. Holladay had a stage line company and travels between Salt Lake City and Virginia City, Montana which carried much of the newly discovered gold from the Montana mines. (Researched by me) He would be the contact of any news about the boy. I'm thinking she is walking down the street when she sees Capt. Holladay driving the stage coach and she is anxious to get the latest information thinking she could climb onto the coach which is going very slow and falls. She would be wearing a long dress and could very well catch
her footing in the hem.
Harriet suffered a week before she died from her injuries. Just breaks your heart.
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| Deseret News 27 March 1868 It's now 1868 and Charles places an add in the Newspaper to sell two house in the ninth ward. Sounds like really nice places! He has married again, to Ann Jenkinson (or Jennings) Barson. Charles is now sixty two years old he is twenty eight years older than Ann who is a widow and has two children Martha age ten and John William age 7. Ann lived in the ninth ward with her husband Samuel Barson who died 25 Aug. 1865. Charles Sr. and Ann were married on 24 Sep 1867. By 1870 Charles and Ann have moved to Pleasant View, Cherokee, Kansas. (1870 US Census) Charles has joined the Reorganized LDS Church and I'm guessing Ann is a member too. Five years later Charles dies on 23 March 1875. He is buried next to Harriet in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Ann dies on 3 October 1875 and is buried in Pleasant View. At this writing I have no idea what happened to Ann's children Martha age 15 and John age 12. |
