Emma Jackson, 1838-1917

• Born 29 Jan 1838 Mansfield, Nottingham, , England
• Died 28 Jan 1917 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah
• Parents:  James Jackson and Elizabeth Wragg
• Spouse:  Robert Siddoway (md. 1 Sep 1860 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah)
• Children:  James William Siddoway, Edwin Siddoway, Elizabeth Siddoway, Emily Annie Siddoway, Susan Siddoway, Sylvia Siddoway, Francis Siddoway, Amos Siddoway, Eliza May Siddoway

Emma Jackson

"Emma was christened in Mansfield, Nottingham, England, on 29 January 1838, the daughter of James Jackson and Elizabeth Wragg.1

"Two months before her 13th birthday Emma was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Hull Branch in Durham England, 29 November 1850.  She was the only member of her family to join.2   At age 22, she immigrated to Zion as a single girl using the Perpetual Emigration Funds on the Ship Underwriter, which sailed on 30 March 1860 from Liverpool.3

"After arriving in New York she went with the saints to Florence, Nebraska (Winter Quarters), and was assigned to the 9th Robison Handcart PEF Co. that left on 13 May 1860.  Emma was asked by Captain Daniel Robison to assist the family of Robert Siddoway, age 31, a widower with three small children:  Isabella age 10, Richard age 8, and Robert age 7.4  Robert’s first wife, Elizabeth Dawson, had died in 1859.  John (Robert’s brother) and his bride Mary were also traveling with this family.5

"After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley on 28 August 1860, Emma married Robert Siddoway on September 1.  Six months later on 9 March 1861 they were sealed in the Endowment House.6  Emma took over caring for his three children, Isabella, Richard, and Robert.  The Siddoway family spent the first winter in a log cabin with no windows and a dirt floor where the Bamberger Station now stands in Salt Lake City.7  Robert was a carpenter and was called by the LDS church authorities, along with his younger brother John, to go to Logan to help build the Thatcher Mill.  Robert built a home for Emma in the Sugar House Ward—located southeast of the downtown area.

"Emma gave birth to nine children.  Her first child, James William, born 14 September 1861 was named for Emma’s father James Jackson.  Her other children were:  Edwin (1863-1864), Elizabeth (1865- ), Emily (1867- ), Susan (1869-1871), Sylvia (1872- ), Francis “Frank” (1874- ), Amos (1876- ) (named for her younger brother), and Eliza May (1879- ) (named for her older sister).  Her first child was born when she was 23 and her last when she was 41.

"In September 1864, Fanny Wilkinson, age 30, from Emma’s LDS Hull Branch in England arrived in the valley with her two sisters:  Grace, age 23 and Maria, age 14.  Emma and Fanny renewed their acquaintance as they were from the same branch and eight months later, Emma’s husband Robert married Fanny in the Endowment House on May 27, 1865.8

"Some histories say that Emma never adjusted to sharing her husband with another woman, and that Fanny felt that she was neglected.  Fanny’s first child, Louisa Ann and Emma’s fourth child, Emily, were born within four months of each other.  According to Thane Siddoway’s large history, there was a break-up in the relationship of Emma and Fanny over sharing the same husband in the same home.  Emma became inactive in the Church, and some of the children were not blessed or baptized.  Fanny moved out, remained active, and stayed in the Church.

"Seven of Emma’s children married and gave her 37 grandchildren from the years of 1887 to 1910.  Her husband Robert died in 1893.  She was a widow for 24 years and died 28 January 1917 in Salt Lake City at the home of her daughter May Siddoway Van Cott.  Her obituary reads:

"Called by Death
Mrs. Emma Jackson Siddoway—At the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ernest Van Cott, 952 Ninth East street occurred the death of Mrs. Emma Jackson Siddoway, Sunday.  She was the widow of Robert Siddoway, who died several years ago.  Mrs. Siddoway was born in Hull, England, in 1838 and came to Salt Lake in 1860, where she has resided since.  She was the mother of nine children, six of whom survive.  They are James, Frank and Amos of Teton City, Ida.; Mrs. Stephen Bond of St. Anthony, Ida.; Mrs. Benjamin Harris and Mrs. Ernest Van Cott of Salt Lake.
     Funeral Services will be held Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the residence of Mrs. Van Cott 952 Ninth East street.  The body may be viewed at the residence from 11:30 to 1.  Interment will be in the city cemetery."

* * *
1.  Vicar of Mansfield by correspondence from Velma Cherry Siddoway who hired the Gen. Soc.
2.  LDS Rec. Bap. For:  Emma Jackson b. 1838.  SLC FHL F. 13656 pt. 27. 13.
3.  Emigration Registers of British Mission – SLC FHL F. 614 pt.2.
4.  From a Fanny – W.R. Siddoway History.
5.  Leroy Hafen, Handcarts to Zion, pp. 181-185.
6.  Temple Index Bureau Endowment Cards.
7.  Richard Siddoway Family Report, pp. 48-49.
8.  Temple Index Bureau Endowment Cards.

--Talbot, Margaret Fawson, Once Upon a Time, The Siddoway Family Series, Book 1, Siddoway Families for Robert and his brother John, pp. 68-69, 92.