Sabrina Curtis was born on the spring day of 3 April 1829 in Rutland, Tioga, Pennsylvania. She was the 13th child of 14 born to Enos and Ruth Franklin Curtis. Rutland was on the border of the states Pennsylvania and New York.
Her father Enos was a devout and spiritual man. On a trip to Kirtland, Ohio he was introduced to the Church Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and baptized in 1831 by Lyman Wight in Kirtland, Ohio.
Later in that year Enos and four other men from Pennsylvania were on a short-term mission to Mendon, Monroe County, New York. It was their privilege to introduce the gospel to Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball.
The Curtis family suffered persecution at the hands of mobs and then followed the Church to Caldwell, Clay County, Missouri. After tremendous persecution in Caldwell, they moved on with others in the Church to Quincy, Illinois. They became part of a group who lived in the Morley Settlement which was 25 miles south of Nauvoo, Illinois. In September of 1845 mobs burned the homes in Morley. The Saints fled to Nauvoo for safety.
Sabrina's mother was very ill at the time of the burning. She had to be carried out of the burning cabin on a sheet and then onto a wagon.
Sabrina likely met her future husband George Elisha King while both of their families were living at Morley Settlement. George Elisha King, was born 23 October 1828 and was the eldest son of Thomas J. and Rebecca Englesby (Olin) King.
The Kings had come from Portage County, Ohio, to a farm in Morley's Settlement near Nauvoo in 1845, but had not yet harvested a crop when their home was burned, and they were forced to flee into Nauvoo. George went back to the burned-out farmstead at Morley's Settlement from the relative safety of Nauvoo in the fall of 1845 to help harvest the corn they needed to feed their family.
The Saints of Nauvoo evacuated the city in early 1846 and went into Iowa. It is likely here that Sabrina and George were married.
George King, his parents and six siblings were part of the group who went to Mt. Pisgah in 1846. Sabrina and George became parents to a son David Abraham King born 21 January 1847 at Pisgah, Union, Iowa.
The King family could find no work in Pisgah and so after a brief stay, they returned east to Iowaville where they settled among fellow refugees. George's father an his brothers acquired ox teams and became partners with others in a freighting operation between Iowaville and Keokuk, much of the time hauling whisky from the Davis distillery to Keokuk and goods for the Iowaville store on the return trip.
Sabrina's mother, Ruth Franklin Curtis died near Council Bluffs, Iowa on 6 May 1848 while she and Enos were preparing to cross the plains with Brigham Young's company.
Sabrina and George separated or divorced in the year 1849. After the death of a newborn daughter, Sabrina and her son David continued on to the Salt Lake Valley. George remarried in Iowa and later with his new family moved to Washington state where they were part of a group brutally killed by Indians in 1857.
Sabrina's mother, Ruth Franklin Curtis died near Council Bluffs, Iowa on 6 May 1848 while she and Enos were preparing to cross the plains with Brigham Young's company.
Sabrina and George separated or divorced in the year 1849. After the death of a newborn daughter, Sabrina and her son David continued on to the Salt Lake Valley. George remarried in Iowa and later with his new family moved to Washington state where they were part of a group brutally killed by Indians in 1857.
After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, Sabrina found employment doing household chores for Lorenzo Young, a brother of President Brigham Young. She had probably known Lorenzo since he was an associate of her fathers.
It was while working for the Youngs that she met a young Thomas Harward, a convert from England. They were privileged to be married by Brigham Young in the Endowment House on 6 April 1850.
Their first child, Thomas Franklin, was born 5 February 1852.
Thomas and Sabrina were among a group asked by the Church to be part of the "Iron Mission" to help settle the Cedar City area. Originally people were called as missionaries to go out and colonize. The Harwards were to stay for five years and then they were released to go elsewhere if they wanted.
Scouters from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had originally found this area and saw the promise of iron ore mining. The purpose of the "Iron Mission" was to set up the iron industry since iron was needed around the territory.
In this uncolonized area, Sabrina's son Thomas Franklin died on 18 May 1854. Another son William Henry had been born 29 January 1854 and a daughter Sarah Ellen was born 11 June 1856 both in Cedar City.
The Mountain Meadow Massacre happened in the Cedar City area in September of 1857. Many family members of recent time have been concerned that Thomas Harward was involved in this horrid event. But it has been reported that the Harward family went to the White Mountain area in Nevada during this tragedy and returned to find they were needed to help care for two children whose parents had been killed. They did so until relatives were located back east and the children were sent there.
Within the next year, Thomas and Sabrina and their children moved to Springville, Utah. Sabrina's brothers had surveyed the area of Springville for the Church and settled there. Her father, Enos Curtis had also moved to Springville, but sadly he died 1 June 1856--two years before Sabrina and Thomas' arrival.
Family claimed that Sabrina was a small woman probably never weighing more than 95 pounds. They also said she had a quiet disposition and known for her kindness. She was an excellent homemaker, cook and spinner of wool. She kept her large family clothed by her knitting and sewing. Sabrina and Thomas were the parents of nine children.
Children:
David Abraham King, 1847
Angeline King, 1849
Thomas Franklin Harward, 1852
William Henry Harward, 1854
Sarah Ellen Harward, 1856
Celestia Ann Harward, 1858
Sabrina Eliza Harward, 1860
Ozias Strong Harward, 1862
Heber Harward, 1865
Mary Alfaretta Harward, 1868
Sarilla Harward, 1870
Thomas and Sabrina and their children lived in Springville for over 16 years. At that time Thomas wanted to buy more land, but he could not. He learned that there was a considerable amount of land available in the Sevier Valley. After much forethought and council, Thomas and his son Ozias packed a wagon full of supplies and headed for Willow Bend [now Aurora], Sevier County, Utah.
In the Spring of 1877, Sabrina, her younger children and two of her married daughters, their husbands and children also moved to the new homestead.
At first, the family lived in a dugout while they built their cabin. Everyone in the family helped secure the logs and building materials for building homes. [After their cabin was built, the dugout was used for the storage of food.] They had to clear the land and dig ditches from Lost Creek for irrigation water.
It is told that Thomas loved Sabrina very much and was thoughtful and kind to her. He was said to have accepted her son, David as his own. When Sabrina was called to service in the Church, Thomas supported her wholly. She served several years in the Relief Society as a councilor.
Sabrina and Thomas loved and cared deeply for their children. The Gospel was always taught and practiced in their home.
When their son, Ozias and his wife Eva lost their only two children to diptheria, Sabrina and Thomas moved in with them for two years to help them through the grieving process until they had their third child.
Sabrina passed away on 27 June 1890. It was a great loss to Thomas and his children.
It was while working for the Youngs that she met a young Thomas Harward, a convert from England. They were privileged to be married by Brigham Young in the Endowment House on 6 April 1850.
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory 1850 Census
Their first child, Thomas Franklin, was born 5 February 1852.
Thomas and Sabrina were among a group asked by the Church to be part of the "Iron Mission" to help settle the Cedar City area. Originally people were called as missionaries to go out and colonize. The Harwards were to stay for five years and then they were released to go elsewhere if they wanted.
Scouters from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had originally found this area and saw the promise of iron ore mining. The purpose of the "Iron Mission" was to set up the iron industry since iron was needed around the territory.
In this uncolonized area, Sabrina's son Thomas Franklin died on 18 May 1854. Another son William Henry had been born 29 January 1854 and a daughter Sarah Ellen was born 11 June 1856 both in Cedar City.
The Mountain Meadow Massacre happened in the Cedar City area in September of 1857. Many family members of recent time have been concerned that Thomas Harward was involved in this horrid event. But it has been reported that the Harward family went to the White Mountain area in Nevada during this tragedy and returned to find they were needed to help care for two children whose parents had been killed. They did so until relatives were located back east and the children were sent there.
Within the next year, Thomas and Sabrina and their children moved to Springville, Utah. Sabrina's brothers had surveyed the area of Springville for the Church and settled there. Her father, Enos Curtis had also moved to Springville, but sadly he died 1 June 1856--two years before Sabrina and Thomas' arrival.
Family claimed that Sabrina was a small woman probably never weighing more than 95 pounds. They also said she had a quiet disposition and known for her kindness. She was an excellent homemaker, cook and spinner of wool. She kept her large family clothed by her knitting and sewing. Sabrina and Thomas were the parents of nine children.
Children:
David Abraham King, 1847
Angeline King, 1849
Thomas Franklin Harward, 1852
William Henry Harward, 1854
Sarah Ellen Harward, 1856
Celestia Ann Harward, 1858
Sabrina Eliza Harward, 1860
Ozias Strong Harward, 1862
Heber Harward, 1865
Mary Alfaretta Harward, 1868
Sarilla Harward, 1870
Thomas and Sabrina and their children lived in Springville for over 16 years. At that time Thomas wanted to buy more land, but he could not. He learned that there was a considerable amount of land available in the Sevier Valley. After much forethought and council, Thomas and his son Ozias packed a wagon full of supplies and headed for Willow Bend [now Aurora], Sevier County, Utah.
In the Spring of 1877, Sabrina, her younger children and two of her married daughters, their husbands and children also moved to the new homestead.
At first, the family lived in a dugout while they built their cabin. Everyone in the family helped secure the logs and building materials for building homes. [After their cabin was built, the dugout was used for the storage of food.] They had to clear the land and dig ditches from Lost Creek for irrigation water.
Thomas and Sabrina's cabin fixed up in 1955 for a family reunion.
Two rocking chairs owned by the couple are still in the family.
It is told that Thomas loved Sabrina very much and was thoughtful and kind to her. He was said to have accepted her son, David as his own. When Sabrina was called to service in the Church, Thomas supported her wholly. She served several years in the Relief Society as a councilor.
Sabrina and Thomas loved and cared deeply for their children. The Gospel was always taught and practiced in their home.
When their son, Ozias and his wife Eva lost their only two children to diptheria, Sabrina and Thomas moved in with them for two years to help them through the grieving process until they had their third child.
Sabrina passed away on 27 June 1890. It was a great loss to Thomas and his children.
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