Mary Jane Parker

Mary Jane was born on January 21st, 1817 in Parsonfield, Maine, in the United States to Samuel Parker and Hannah Edgecomb. She was the third of their four children, two boys and a girl. Her mother died in June of 1818 when Mary Jane was only seventeen months old, and her father remarried Mary B. Trueworthy with whom he had a son and a daughter.

She married Thomas Jefferson Butterfield on February 15th, 1835 in Farmington, ME when he was twenty three and she was fifteen.

Their first child, Mary Jane, was born ten months after their marriage in Farmington, ME, on January 18th, 1836.

They moved to Missouri by 1836, then moved on to Kirtland, OH by 1838. 

Their second child, Eliza Ann, was born on August 4th, 1839 in Nauvoo. She died in Nauvoo on July 27th 1841, just a month shy of her second birthday.

They were back to Far West, Caldwell, Missouri, in 1840.

Their third child, Martha, was born on November 27th, 1842 in Nauvoo. She died on August 25th, 1843, just nine months old.

Their fourth child, Almon, was born on July 14th, 1844 in Nauvoo.

Their fifth child, George, was born on March 23rd, 1847 in Nauvoo.

Their sixth child, Sarah, was born on March 13th, 1849 in Kanesvill, Iowa, about three hundred miles west of Nauvoo.

Thomas and Mary Jane traveled overland with the Allen Taylor Company. They left the mid-west, most likely from Council Bluffs, Iowa, on the 4th or 5th of July, 1849 and arrived in Salt Lake City between the 10th and 20th of October, 1849 with four children, Mary Jane, Almon, George and Sarah. They eventually settled in what later became Herriman, UT. He was the founder of Fort Herriman.

In 1850 they lived in Salt Lake City with five children. He was listed as a farmer.

Their seventh child, Olive, was born on February 5th, 1851 in West Jordan, UT.

Their eighth child, Thomas, was born on April 23rd, 1853 in Herriman, UT.

Their ninth child, Samuel, was born on February 27th 1855 in Herriman, UT.

Thomas married Mary Jane Farmer (plural) on March 15th, 1857 when he was forty five years old and she was  twenty seven. They had seven children together, John Morris, Richard, Elizabeth Morris, Zachariah, Emma Eliza, Edwin James, and Lyman Thomas. Only four of their children lived to adulthood.

Thomas and Mary Jane's tenth and last child, Hannah, was born on February 1st, 1858 in Herriman, UT.

Thomas and Mary's first child, Richard, was born on  April 18th, 1858 in Salem, UT. He died just twenty five days later.

Thomas and Mary's second child, John Morris, was born on July 11th, 1859 in Herriman, UT.

In 1860 the whole family lived on their farm in Salt Lake City with eight children. The property was valued at $800.

Thomas and Mary's third child, Elizabeth Morris, was born on Jully 20th, 1861 in Herriman.

On November 21st, 1861, John Morris died when he was only sixteen months old.

Thomas and Mary's fourth child, Zachariah, was born on January 4th, 1864 in Herriman.

Thomas and Mary's fifth child, Emma Eliza, was born on January 3rd, 1866 in Herriman.

Thomas and Mary's sixth child, Edwin James, was born on March 4th, 1867 in Herriman.

In 1870 Thomas and Mary (Farmer) lived in West Jordan, UT with four children on a farm valued at $400. Mary Jane (Parker) lived in a house next door with three children. Their son George and his wife lived in the house next to that one, and their son Almon lived in the next house with his wife and one young son.

Thomas and Mary's seventh and last child, Lyman Thomas, was born on December 28th, 1872 in Herriman.

Thomas and Mary's daughter, Emma Eliza, died on July 30th, 1875 at the age of nine.

In 1880 Thomas and Mary Jane lived on a farm in Herriman with four children. Their sons, Thomas and Almon, lived on nearby farms with their families. There is no mention of Mary (Farmer) in this census.

There are two additional wives of Thomas listed on his grave stone, but I can't find mention nor documentation of them anywhere else.

Thomas died on April 2nd, 1890. Mary Jane Famer died on January 1st that same year.

In 1900 Mary Jane lived with her son Almon's second (plural) wife Sarah Mitchell and two grandchildren.

Mary Jane died on July 21st, 1901 in Herriman, UT at the age of eighty four. She was buried in the Herriman Cemetery.

Do you know anything about Mary Jane? Do you have any memories, photos or information to add? I would absolutely love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below to add your information. If you have photos to share, please send them to me along with any other information at tomebug (at) gmail (dot) com.