Sketch of Hannah Maria Clark Parkinson

Hannah was the daughter of Thomas Henry and Charlotte Gailey Clark.  She was born in Herdfordshire, England, on 8 July 1832.  Thomas and Charlotte Clark had nine children born to them, seven of whom were born in Herefordshire, the home of the Clarks, two were born at Nauvoo.  Hannah’s father was converted to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Wilford Woodruff, and was baptized by Wilford Woodruff, he being one of the forty-five preachers and of the 600 congregation that was converted by Wilford Woodruff.  Brother Clark baptized all of his children and confirmed them.  On April 6, 1841, the family left England and immigrated to America coming over on the “Catherine.”  This ship was lost at sea on her next voyage.  The family went direct to Nauvoo arriving there 8 July 1841, on Hannah’s birthday.  They remained in Nauvoo until the Saints were driven out.  They were notified at twelve o’clock in the afternoon to leave by six o’clock the next morning.  They could not collect all of their things so were compelled to leave a large portion of their possessions in Nauvoo.  One of their gentile friends kept them overnight and assisted them to cross the river; they then went with the main body of Saints to Winter Quarters.  Here the father and his two sons went to work in the hayfields.

The following spring, Hannah’s father was sent on a mission to England where he remained until the fall of 1849; the family being cared for by the oldest son, John William.  When the father returned from his mission, he with Henry Smith and Emery Barrus built a ferry boat which they ran for two years; then he sold out his interest and with his son, John, came to Utah arriving in Grantsville in the spring of 1852.  The rest of his family came the next year.  Thomas Clark was captain of ten wagons in the company.  After a few days on the way, cholera broke out and all of those over whom Brother Clark was in command succumbed to the disease; he alone escaping.

Grantsville has always been the home of the Clarks.  Hannah’s father built a one-room house made of logs; this house was in the corner of the lot.  Later on, he built a two-room house made of adobe which is still standing.  Aunt Charlotte Rowberry lived in it for a number of years; she also lived in the log room.  I remember Aunt Charlotte telling a story – “Mary Ann and I found a pair of shoes one day and they just fit me.  I hadn’t a pair of shoes, in fact, was barefooted.  Oh, how happy I was, but father said “You can’t wear them, we must find who lost them.”  So we just hung them on this peg on the outside of the room so that all could see them.  “Now,” he said, “they will have to hang there for several days, then maybe if no one claims them you may wear them.”  Aunt Charlotte said, “I prayed every night that no one would claim them and sure enough no one did and I sure wore those shoes and prayed again and again that they would wear a long time.”

Their home was always filled with happiness and contentment; the father always living his religion and keeping the commandments of the Lord.  His law was “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Hannah was married to Charles G. Parkinson on 15 October 1855, by her father Bishop Thomas H. Clark in the Clark home; they went to the Endowment House later.  At the time of her marriage she was at the spinning wheel, spinning yarn for their winter clothes and stockings.  Her dress was made from wool the cloth was a sort of gray color.  She stood up and was married in bare feet.  Charles first met her at a dance in the early spring of 1854 and at that time he said, “that young woman will be my wife.”  So Hannah had to take him even if he was called a tenderfoot.  Charles always said she was the best looking of the Clark girls – he would.  Their married life was most happy; they were very congenial.  Their first home was in the corner of the lot where the high school now stands.  Just a small one-room place; here the first child was born, a boy, they named him Charles G.  Then they had to move into the fort; they lied there for a number of years on account of the Indians making so much trouble.  Charles got a piece of land from Hannah’s father and they built a two-room housed; this was made of logs.  This was in 1863.  Hannah’s fifth child was born in the new house, and then came Maria, Helen and Joseph.

Charles went back to the states to meet the immigrants in the early fall of 1863.  On his return, he brought his wife a brand new stove, the first one they had ever had.  Now here is another story – “Charles went to work one day and did not cut Hannah any wood for the stove, so in her good natured way, she prepared the evening meal; she put the dishes on the table, a bowl of potatoes all peeled and cut; a plate of raw meat, and a plate of dough, and a pot of cold tea.  Charles liked that supper so well.”  Hannah said that he always remembered to see that there was wood chopped before he left home.

Hannah was of a very happy turn of mind, always singing at her work and seemed to enjoy every day of her life; she sure made the best of everything.  She taught her children how to use their hands as well as their heads.  Just as soon as they were old enough, they were taught to sew and knit; even Charles and Henry could knit stockings and gloves, about as well as she.  Hannah was a very good entertainer.  Everyone liked her and loved to visit her home and have a good laugh and something to eat; her sister, Mary Ann Anderson, liked to come and do her part too.

When her baby, Joseph, was eight months-old, she took one of her severe headaches and was sick about 24 hours and passed away.  Today we would say she had a stroke, but at that time they knew nothing of such things.  She left a family of eight children; the oldest was twelve and the youngest eight months.  She died on 17 March 1869, and her mother passed away soon after on 19 April 1869.

It was noted at Hannah’s funeral there were almost as many Indians as white people attending.  She and Charles were very kind to the Indians and made friends with them.  Her son, John, was the first of her family to pass away.  He died at the age of twenty from typhoid fever and a great many Indians also attended his funeral; they had not forgotten his mother.

Of the family at this time (1944) there are only two living, Mary Ann Stoddard, now 80 years-old and living in Indiana and Hannah Maria Robinson Maughn who lives at Grantsville.

You can find among her grandchildren Presidents of Stakes, Bishops of Wards, choir leaders, organists and many, many are working in the organizations of the church, and a great many are to be found in the armed forces of the United States; two have already