For the last few weeks, we have followed the journey of a family who migrated from North Carolina to Kentucky, with the aim of settling new country and Improving financial conditions for the family. But the desire for new land was not the only reason for the migrations of families from the eastern parts of our country to the west. Another major one was a desire to flee from religious persecution and enjoy the right to live and worship in the way each person believed.

For the next few weeks, I will be borrowing from Dr. Jerome Hainsworth's book about his mother, Mima Jane Child Hainsworth. This book is a family history and genealogy, but more, it tells of the struggles of a religious group, the Mormons, to find a place where they could live and worship without harrassment. This family eventually settled in Utah, as did many others of their persuasion, but they also passed through Calloway County on the way. And, in the case of Dr. Hainsworth's, after some generations, they returned to Kentucky to stay.

This material is taken from a diary kept by Martha Payne Jones Thomas who was born Feb. 20, 1808, in Sumner County, Tennessee.

"I feel it a duty I owe to my family to give them a sketch of my life, so that they can trace our family history after I am gone.

"In the year 1812, my father, Isaac Jones, enlisted under General Jackson to go to New Orleans, to fight for our country. There he lost his life. Three years later my mother, Folly Ogelsbye Jones, married Isaac Pierce. She died the next year, leaving me and my three little brothers alone. We were cantled about from place to place for several years, our uncle William Jones seeing to us all he could.

On Feb. 3, 1826, I married your father, Daniel Stiliwell Thomas. In 1827 we moved to Kentucky. In 1835 we heard the gospel preached in its true light by Elder Wilford Woodruff. We believed and obeyed the same, for it was the true plan of Salvation then as it is now In 1837 we moved to Missouri, but the evil one determined the Saints should not stay there.

February 14, 1839 we started across the prairie with five children. The snow was about six inches deep. We had but one pair of shoes for the lieele ones.

In the spring of 1840, we ~ to Nauvoo (Illinois); there we 'stayed ~ix years. The Saints in the depths of poverty built a city and a beautiful Temple to the God of Heaven. He accepted it and thousands were blessed therein. But the devil could not sit still and see the Saints prosper.

In 1846 we started for the mountains without purse or script, wagon or team. We had our two selves and eight children. In 1847 we buried our oldest son in Florence.

In 1849 we landed in the values (probably Utah). Who could not acknowledge the hand of God in our deliverance? In 1853, we moved to Lehi (Utah).

On June 27, 1878, D. S. Thomas, your father, was buried. This leaves me standing in the midst of the Saints

surrounded with a numerous posterity, which is a great comfort to me. At times the clouds of sorrow will hover over me. Then I call on my father for help and he is sure to comfort me.

Leaving Kentucky. We bade farewell to all kindred, which was a sad affair, especially to father and mother Thomas.

They belonged to the Church but were too old to stand the journey. Brother Woodruff had blessed them and said they would yet stand in Zion. So they did, for we sent for them and in the fall they came by water. They soon died and were buried side by side on Long Creek, Missouri. Father was a Revolutionary soldier un Washington. He was 84 years old mother 78. This ends 1837.

Return to the Index of Judy Maupin's Genealogical ancedotes, stories and family notes.