Emma Jane Farmer

Emma was born on July 26th, 1843 in Brighton, Sussex, England to James Morris Farmer and Sarah Trussler. She was the oldest of their seven children. Her mother died when Emma was eight years old, and her father then married Mary Ann Biddle, with whom he had four more children.

She was christened on November 12th, 1843 in Brighton, Sussex, England.

In 1851 Emma lived with her parents, three siblings and a fourteen year old domestic servant named Ann Mears in Reigate, Surrey, England. Her father was a stone mason.

Emma's mother died in childbirth on August 26th, 1851 in Sterling, England at the age of thirty four. The baby also died.

Her father married Lizzie's stepmother some time before the beginning of 1855.

On May 26th, 1856 Emma, her father, stepmother, baby half brother and two sisters sailed on the Horizon from Liverpool to Boston, MA. There were 856 Mormons on board headed to join "the saints" in Utah. You can read more about this crossing in the diary of a passenger here.

On August 1st, 1856 Emma, at thirteen years old, and her family left Iowa City, Iowa with the John A Hunt company to cross the plains. They arrived in Salt Lake City on December 10th, 1856.

In 1860 Emma lived with her father, step-mother and three younger sisters in West Jordan, UT. Her father was a stone mason who helped build the Salt Lake LDS temple.

Emma married Joseph Bodell on May 17th, 1862 when he was twenty one and she was eighteen. Emma would have taken the responsibility of taking care of young Carrie, Joseph's two and a half month old infant from his recently deceased first wife. Sadly, the baby died on Sept. 2nd that year at the age of five months. Joseph and Emma had nine children together.

Their first child, Joseph Samuel Henry, was born on August 23rd, 1863.

Their second child, Sarah Jane, was born on August 27th 1864. She died on May 28th, 1866 at twenty one months old.

Their third child, James Frederick, was born on July 26th 1866. He died on September 19th, 1867 at fourteen months old.

Their fourth child, Emma Jane, was born on November 9th, 1867.

Their fifth child, John Trussler, was born on March 15th, 1869.

In 1870  Joseph and Emma lived in West Jordan, UT with three children. He was a butcher and a farmer, and they lived in a house valued at $300.

Their sixth child, Elizabeth Eliza, was born on November 14th, 1870.

Their seventh child, William Almon, was born on July 28th, 1872.

Their eighth child, Agnes Fanny, was born on July 17th 1874.

Their ninth and last child, Martha Mary, was born on December 23rd, 1875.

Joseph died on August 19th, 1876 in Herriman, UT at the age of thirty six. Emma was only thirty three.

If this is the same person my grandmother (Joseph and Emma's great grand-daughter) spoke about,  he died after a hog butchering accident on the farm which severed his femoral artery. I don't have confirmation of this story yet. 

In 1880 the widowed Emma lived in Fort Herriman, UT with seven children. The oldest at home, sixteen year old Samuel, worked the farm.

In 1900 Emma lived with her daughter Agnes and her husband and their two small children in Herriman, UT.

Emma died on March 3rd, 1921 in Herriman, UT and was buried in the Herriman City Cemetery.

Do you know anything about Emma? 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.