Annie Groom Jeffs was born on the 7 of March 1866 on Chilton Green1 to the pearents of Nathan Groom Sr and Emma Elizebeth Hill Groom when I had lived in this place two or three years my pearents mooved to a place named Kimpton were [where] I went to a Kindergarden School was [indecipherable, probably "immunized"] for Smallpox and the Doctor put Six places [maybe "patches"] on my arm i had a real Sora [sore] arm for a wile but i never had the Smallpox untill this day we lived at that place untill after my brother Henry was born and then we mooved to Ireland to a beautiful home and I an my brother Nathan went to Catholic School but Father would not let us learn the Catholic creed So we had to go out in the playground for a half hour we walked a long way over large Streams of water that run a flax factory and made pure linens cloth Father took us one day through it Also on [one] day while we lived there we whent and Sang for Mager Moloney wife and She gave us a large Doll and a Nora hark and Some play things the Song we Sang was a little bird build a warm nest in a tree and went through the motions, Father left that place and mooved to England and lived in a place named Manchester and while there going to School we got shooping [whooping] cough and ive had it So bad the Doctor told Father if he did not take us out into the country he would loose us all every time we would cough our noses would bleed, So Father heard of a place in the country as Lord Ellesmere game keeper and the name of the place was Ellenbrook we lived there untill Father came to Utah while there i worked in a Cotton Mill from Six O clock in the morning untill Six at night and walked Some over two miles. i also went to the church of England Sunday school but mother would not let me learn thre creed and i didd not find out why, So one Sunday our teacher had her class come in the afternoon and She read a book for us for a hour and befor we left She told us that the dipers [probably "dippers", referring to baptism] was going to preach on a place named Mossley common and we must not go and hear them because they was wicked people So after our teacher had gone into church my Self and a girl friend talked it over we thought we would go and See what kind of people these were, So we went but was real frighten of them and did not go very close to them, but we Saw Some of the people Stoped by them and they did not hurt us So we went up to them and listined to what they had to Say and i heard one of the Elders Said he had com Six thousands miles to preach the goxpel This Elder name was Osker F Hunter From Salt Lake city, I was late that Sunday afternoon getting home So my mother wanted to know were i had been, I told her i had been to hear the dipers preach, and She Said what kind of people are they, I told her i did not know, i Said they Sang out of our little Hyms book and one man Said he had come Six thousands miles to preach the Gospel So my mother told father about it and he enjuired [enquired] around around and he found there was a man working in a coal mine a ways from our home that belong to the church and he told him the name of the place were the Saints was holding meetings So he told him when the Elders came again to have them call and See us, So one afternoon when i got home from work these Same two Elders was at our home, So mother told them how i came to find them, i think there was Some thing about that teacher that She had to tell me a bout these Saints, but She never Spoke to me again after that She would pass me but She had no time to Speak, this Hymbook was a Small LdS Song took [book] and my mother was a lovly Singer So at night She would get this book out and we sould all Sing the Songs together and i knew the most of them of by heart and that was a long time before we heard of the Saints Father and mother belonged to the church but we had mooved around So much we had lost Sight of the people, So Father and my self and brother nathin walked five miles to our first Mormon meeting and there was about eight people there and i thought it was a funy place to hold meeting in the Elder house and after meeting was out is good wife gave us Supper which is called tea in that coutry and we walked back home again The next Sunday all the Family went to the meeting and the house got to Small to hold the people So they rented a one room bilding in Moreside a mile nearer to our home were we went every Sunday afternoon they had testimony meeting and at night the Elders took up the time I an my brother Nathan was Baptised on the 22 of December at night and we walked a wuater [quarter] of a mile through a medrow that is a grass pasture and there was a whit frost on the grass and we walked back after in our wet clothes and bare footed and none of us took a cold there was a large party Baptised that night we walked four miles to church and back at night Percy was a Small boy and i have carried him home on and off a good many times So my Father bought him a baby buggy So he could ride we had a large quire [choir?] and one Sunday my brother and my Self walked 20 [10?] miles to a Districk meeting to Sing for the meeting and walked that many miles back after church at night there was about 30 of men and girls went trains dont run on Sundays only half time and we Saw a large branch of the church from those few people and all came to Utah only one Family, My brother came out to Utah First. that was Harry and then in a year my father came, and a year after that father Sent for Mother and my younger brother but mother would not let my brother Nathan Stay back with me So on of the Elders loned her the money and i was left by my Self in England and worked in a cotton mill and made my own living i payed eight Shilling a week to the people i Stayed with and a Elder told me if i would pay my tithing every week i would go to Utah in a year is name was Elder Horrock So i thought i would try it out and i payed a full tithing every week and Some time i did not have only a few cents left after i had payed it and is words came true for i left England in just a year, My mother rote to me a few week before and Said She did not know when they would be able to Send for me, but in the mean time my cousin George Low2 told mother why did She not get up a Subscription and get me out So he Said he would Start it with 5.00 dollers and the Biship gave 5.00 dollers and your dad gave 2.00 dollers and others in the ward of Buttlervill gave 200 [probably 2.00] dollers and Some less untill the money was raised and mother rote to me and told me to get ready that my money was in Liverpool So you See how the Lord worked things and that Elders word came true it was but a few new clothes i got i bought a pair of new Shoes and payed ten Shillings for them and it took me a long time to pay for them i left England Some time the first part of May we were ten days on the water comming over3 and four days on the train from New York to Salt Lake City and that Elder came home at the Same time he lived Some place in Plesent Valley he had a large family and he lost is wife Some years after he came home, a few days after i got to Utah i got a Job working in the old paper mill at the mouth of Big cottonwood canion we lived at Buttlervill I worked there untill fall and then father mooved to South cottonwood and i lived there untill the Six of Febuary when i was married to George H Jeffs and went a lived in Buttlervill later we mooved to Big Cottonwood were my first baby girl was born Florence and after that we went back to Buttlervill a gain and my husband went as a night watch man at the old paper mill for nine months and Emma was born in the Spring my husband quit the mill and went to farming and a year after we mooved back to big cottonwood again and farmed again for William Taylor wife a brother of John Taylor and while there my third girl was born when this girl was one year and three months old we packed up and went to Idaho we have lived in Idaho 49 year[s] this fall and went to a place called Garfield and took up Farming again were we builded us a nice home from a one room log cabbin and Six children were born in Idaho we went through all the hardships of pioneer life and lived on Jack ribbits for morning noon and night was hard for a few years did not have much choice of food we lost two boys at birth i have done nearly every thing on a farm to get Started a waman could do we builded another home in Garfield after we Sold the farm and Sold that one and mooved to Ucon when Dora was eight years old Since living in Ucon i have Sat up with the Sick night after night helped dress the dead and Sat up with the dead was a teacher in the Relief Soceity in Garfield for two years and in Ucon 14 years untill my health became poor and i had to quit i worked under four Relief Soicity Presdents Sister Tompson Sister Ritchie and Sister Andrus and Sister Howard Andrus i am Still a member my companions as a teacher was Sister Pompson Sister Tylar Mrs Lords, i worked in the primary with Sister Mary Godfrey as Presdent a branch of Ucon was a choroster and teacher in the primary Sang in the choir in Ucon for a number of years in the Stake choir for a while under Joe Morley
we had our Golden wedding four year ago had open house.
I have mayed quilts by the dozens for my neighbours and the Relief Socity
I am the mother of ten children all have been through the temple only one I ahve done quite a lot of temple work in Logan and done quite a few missinary names and was married in Salt Lake temple in June 11th 1913
I took care of my mother for Six weeks when She was Sick in my home and after a few years went to Idaho Falls hosptile and Stayed with her one [on] and off for Six weeks untill She died in her 89 year i have 40 grandchildren 29 great grandchildren
i cannot think of any more
Annie Groom Jeffs
