Eliza Barton

Eliza Barton was born July 15, 1844 in the town of St. Helens, six miles from Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Eliza was the second daughter of Josiah and Margaret Woods. Eliza was very fond of her father's brother, John Barton and his wife, Elizabeth Bell Barton. She visited them often and they enjoyed her as well. John and Elizabeth had five sons, the only daughter that had died as an infant. An indecent that occurred that changed Eliza's life happened as Eliza was walking with her Aunt Elizabeth and she sister, Elizabeth, in the town's square. They noticed that a crowd had gathered around two peculiarly dressed young men, the Mormon missionaries. Elizabeth listened intently to what the young missionaries were preaching. When the sermon was over Elizabeth told Eliza that she had listened to the missionaries several times and intended to join their church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Elizabeth was baptized in 1847. In 1852 Eliza also was baptized by David Grant much against her father's wishes.

In March 1854 Eliza's mother died leaving Josiah, her father, with three daughters and two sons. The youngest son James was just nine months old. Josiah became increasingly bitter, probably because of his wife's death and his many responsibilities regarding his young family. He was especially resentful toward the Mormon church and finally told Eliza that if she continued her affiliation with the church he would disinherit her. Eliza left and lived with her Uncle John Barton for a time. In 1862 she left England with her Uncle John and his family who had decided to emigrate to America. They left St Helens for Liverpool and on May 6, 1862, they set sail on the ship Manchester for New York. There were 376 passengers on the ship, all bound for Utah. They landed at Castle Garden, New York, on June 13. The next day they took a train for Albany and then west crossing the Hudson River, Niagara River, Detroit River and down and across the Mississippi River, then to St. Joes Missouri. They then took a river boat named Omaha and arrived a Florence, Nebraska on June 25. In Florence John Barton's sons, William and James, the twins and John, met their father and his family and cousin Eliza. The had emigrated to America two years before and had outfitted their own wagons and had been helping to bring other saints across the plains. On this trip they all joined in the wagon train of Ansel p. Harmon; they arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 5, 1862; Eliza having walked all the way across the plains. They did not stay long in Salt Lake, but settled in Kaysward, now Kaysville.

In 1863 Eliza married her cousin James Barton, one of the twin sons of John Barton. Eliza and James were married on the 4th of July in Kaysville. The next year on the 5th of March, 1864 their marriage was solemnized in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. The new couple settled in Kaysville, Davis County. In 1879 they moved to Salt Lake City wher James had work on the railroad. He was a master mechanic.

Early in life it became evident that Eliza was born with a gift for healing and caring for the sick. She passed the requirements of a doctor and was given a certificate to practice by Dr. Benedict, the head of the medical profession at the time. She was the instrument for bringing many, many children into this world. She was called to many homes by doctors because of her great skill and knowledge of curing "milk leg" after child birth. When called she would immediately roll up her sleeves and pitch in. One area doctor said, "I ceased to worry and I knew my patient would get well if I could get Eliza Barton to come help." Eliza's children often helped to deliver the medicines to the houses of the sick. Eliza walked up and down the hills of Salt Lake City helping where she was needed. There were not telephones in that day so people would come and get her. Many times a knock at the door would wake the family, and a man would ask her to hurry. Eliza would dress quickly and they would be gone. Sometimes the family would not see her for many days as she was busy nursing and caring for her patients. She gave her time and much of her own provisions to the poor. She used to make a spring tonic that was marvelous in curing the sick. Eliza would go and stay with patients who had diphtheria, which was a fearful disease at that day, and she would stay until they recovered. She would come home and bury her clothes in the ground so her own children would not be exposed. Once she was called to go to Evanston, Wyoming, to nurse a boy who had been kicked by some animal. He was a relative to some people in the ward. She stayed five weeks with him until he got well. Eliza's family got along pretty well with out her, she had taught how to care for themselves and with seven daughters things ran smoothly for most the time. Eliza also served as a counselor in the church's Relief Society, for a number of years, she later served as president.

Eliza and James had eleven children. Two died in infancy. She died in 1905 of goiter. At the time of her death she had 29 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Written by Daughter Lucy Seele Barton