Biography of Catherine Thomas Isaac (10 Mar 1864 – 4 December 1922) Written by her oldest daughter – Phoebe Isaac Retyped by Daniel J Isaac (Great Grandson) My, Mother, Catherine Thomas Isaac, was born March 10, 1864, at Council Bluff, Iowa. She was the daughter of John O. Thomas, who was born on March 27, 1829, at Glamorganshire, Wales, and Margaret John. November 12, 1831 was her birthday. She also, was born at Glamorganshire Wales. My Grandfather Thomas and his family returned to Council Bluff, Iowa, after they had come to Utah with the Saints in 1860. Their oldest daughter was married and remained in the east. Her name is Mrs. Elizabeth Quick. In the spring of 1864 they returned to the east and my mother was born in the place which was then called “The Muddies.” When I was back in Iowa on a little visit in 1935, I wanted to see the very place where my mother was born, but my aunt couldn’t tell me where it was right now because the territory had changed since so much that it could not be found. People who are not in our Church do not keep old land marks as we do. When my grandfather returned to Utah my mother was six years old. They lived on a form owned by Jack Jones. It is just southwest of William Harwood’s on the south side of the road. They milked cows and goats and made butter and cheese. My grandfather and my mother and sisters did most of the milking and making of the butter and cheese. I have heard my mother and aunt Margret Wilde, my mother’s sister, tell about milking the goats, and how when they were through milking them, how they would put a burr on their tails, so they would know if they were milked or not. Grandmother and the girls and their brother, George, would do all the dairy work, so farm work and the life on the farm was very hard. Mother had all the schooling that there was to get at those times, and she taught school in Winter Quarters, a coal camp. My grandfather, after a few years, moved to the Third Ward in Spanish Fork and built his home there. He was a railroad contractor, and was away building railroads for a good many years, helping to get the railroads into Utah. He made a lot of money and in a few years’ time he had accumulated considerable property. He was also a stock raiser. He brought the Perchon horses into Utah from Iowa. My father, Benjamin Isaac, and my mother, were married on December 31, 1884. Their first home was a two room frame house where Dr. George’s hospital now stands. It was at this place that I was born. Before my sister Margret was born, father had built a new brick home, which still stands just east of Dr. George’s hospital on the corner. It was a red brick home and one of the most beautiful in Spanish Fork at that time. After my brother Ben was born, my mother’s health became so bad that the Doctor said that we should move to the farm. My father was a mason, but he also had a farm, so he built a large room onto the already small home. This was completed just tend days before my brother John was born. My mother’s health was much improved and she worked hard. We had plenty to do because father owned a country store which I helped mother take care of. She was a wonderful cook, and she was secretary of the Relief Society for a number of years. We had plenty of company because mother was always kind and cheerful with our friends, and she always had something lovely and tasty to eat. Mother had many friends and she was so kind to them all. She was always thoughtful of the sick and for a good many years she was always on hand to help when a new baby was coming to town. She was a very good nurse. She was always anxious about her children, and always wanted them to do right. After we were all married, and married in the Temple, she was a happy and proud mother. Her health was failing again and father decided he would let the boy’s farm and take mother back to town. So he built a new home again. It is the place where Ben now lives. He had sold the other home some years before. He also had a home at West Portal in Spanish Fork Canyon. Mother would go up there a few weeks each summer, but her heart could not stand the high altitude, and after four years she died on December 4, 1922. Her children are: Phoebe Isaac Mary Margret Leyson Ben Lester Isaac John Thomas Isaac LeRoy Isaac

Biography of John O. and Margaret Jane Johns Thomas Came to Utah in 1860 Written by Margaret Jane Thomas Wilde Their Daughter Of Camp Peteetneet Of Daughters of Utah Pioneers of Utah Co. Payson, Utah Daughters of Utah Pioneers Genealogy of John O. Thomas and Family John O. Thomas was born March 24, 1829 at St. Brides Major Glamorganshire, Wales. He was the son of John Thomas and Catherine Thomas. His early boyhood was spent in Wales as a farmer. AT the age of eighteen, he heard and accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and was baptized in 1848. He was very interested in the work, and used to preach and sing on the street corners, declaring the everlasting gospel. In the year 1851, he married Margaret Jane Johns at Glamorganshire. He and his wife were b other farm workers. Mother used to tell of milking ten cows and forty goats when she was a girl. As she milked the goats she would mark them with a burr and when she would strip them she would take the burrs off. She would then carry a tub of milk on her head and a bucket in each hand and go over a style and never spill a drop. She milked all these cows and goats every morning before she had breakfast. Her father died when she was but eight years of age, and she was compelled to make her own living. She was a very hardworking woman, and father was a very hard-working man. April 28, 1852, their first child was born—a daughter, whom they named Elizabeth. In a couple of years, another child was born—a boy whom they called William. He died young and was buried in Wales. As Father was the only one in his family to join the Church, having to slip away at night to be baptized, as the lady she was working for was very much opposed to the Mormon teaching. Feb. 18, 1856, they left their dear ones and their native land to sail for America in company with saints numbering four hundred and fifty-four. The left Liverpool, England under the direction of Daniel Tyler, on the ship Caravan. They were nearly six weeks on the Atlantic Ocean as they were in a sailing vessel, and were blown back many times. On the 13th of March, another child was born to them. This child was a girl. The captain of the ship named her Emily Caravena – Emily for his wife, and Caravena for the ship. The baby was fourteen days old when they landed at New York, March 24, 1856. This company of four hundred and fifty-four saints settled at Pittston Ferry, Pennsylvania. When Father landed in Penn. He had a wife and two children, and $5.00 in his pocket and could not speak a word in English. The found a small room in which to live. It had no floor and no chairs. Mother rolled in two large rocks to use as chairs and here she sat to nurse her baby. Father worked in a coal mine, in a camp named “The Notch.” Wages being very low, they had a hard time to save enough money to finish their journey to Utah. On the 25th of April 1858, at Scranton, a boy was born, whom they named George. The story was often told how that little branch enjoyed the spirit of the Lord, worshipping His name with music and hymns. Father used to play the clarinet and Mother was a good singer. The people were all closely united, and praised the Lord in every deed, and all were anxious to finish their journey to Zion. They knew in their hearts it would be a hard and dangerous trip across the wild plains, but they were willing to start. By working hard and saving their small wages, they prepared for the journey. The true Pioneer spirit gave them strength and courage. They had done much good while they were in that small branch, but were anxious to make a home in Zion. When the time came for this little branch to move westward, they were very happy. They sold all they had so they could buy the best wagons and oxen they could get for the journey. June 18, 1860, Father and Mother, with a company consisting of 39 wagons and 359 souls left Florence, Nebraska, in the John Smith Company. They went to Florence by train, and by boat. As there were only a few wagons that would hold only their provisions and bedding, those who were able were compelled to walk. They faced their trip with faith and bravery as so many before them had done. They would walk all day auntly they were exhausted, but when they were in camp at night, they were cheerful and thankful, and sang praises to God. How beautiful to have such a spirit as the Pioneers had. In the morning, they would feel rested and blessed, and would start on their journey rejoicing. A number of babies were born. On August 21, 1860, I was born, and they named me Margaret Jane, my Mother’s namesake. I was born on the plains, somewhere in Wyoming. Mother has often told how she walked all day and that night I was born. They had no water and no fuel—only buffalo chips. When I was only a few days old, Mother was compelled to walk. Mother also told of her dear friend, Phoebe Isaac, who buried her baby by the road side, and how she and sister Isaac would walk arm in arm consoling each other the best they could. My oldest sister, only eight years old at the time, relates the incident that after the child was buried the children of the camp carried rocks and put on the little grave. She remembered well that the hear-broken mother told them not to put any more on as they were so heavy. Mother’s giving birth to a baby on the ocean, and one on the plains, did not add any pleasure to her trip to Zion, although she never complained. She used to cry with loneliness for her dear ones in the far-off land. Her mother tried to discourage her when they were getting ready to sail. Knowing her condition, her mother told her she would die and would be thrown into the sea, but the Lord was with her each time. They were three and one-half months crossing the plains. The company arrive at Satl Lake, September 1, 1860 and mother and Father moved to Bingham, Box Elder County. Father returned again to the East, bring back some very fine horses. In “77” they moved to Spanish Fork where he was engaged in farming, stock raising, and railroading. He was a contractor for different branches of railroads in Utah, and was very successful in his labors. He had as high as 300 men working under him at one time. His fine team of black mares and light wagon was used as the funeral wagon in Spanish Fork many times. He died in Spanish Fork January 8, 1900. Mother died just eight years later to the exact date of his death –January 8, 1908. They are both buried in the Spanish Fork Cemetery. Eight children were born to their union, namely: Elizabeth William Emily Caravena George C. Margaret Jane Morgan Kathryn Gomer