JAMES MEYRICK

James Meyrick was born January 15, 1798 at Darnal Cottage, Tenbury parish, Worchestershire, England. His parents were Thomas Meyrick, Jr. and Susannah Coley. There is a smallholding of Dearnal in Tenbury parish. Family stories report that Thomas was the son of Thomas Meyrick, Sr. and a Miss Foley, the daughter of Lord Foley, and that she was disinherited upon her marriage to Thomas Meyrick, Sr., as he was "not of the ranks". James married Elizabeth Bumford (or Mumford), the daughter of Edward Bumford and Margaret Davies. Elizabeth was born January 16, 1799, in Bettws, Montgomeryshire, Wales.
 

Parish register, Bettws Cedewain, Montgomeryshire, Wales
showing the marriage of James Meyrick and Elizabeth Bumfore in 1817

James worked draining the land, and building pools and coach roads. James and Elizabeth had nine children.

 
 

1841 census, Boraston, Burford parish, Shropshire, England

The 1841 census for Boraston shows:

James Meyrick, age 45, Ag Lab (agricultural laborer)
Elizabeth  "  , age 40
Thomas   "  , age 15, Ag Lab
John   "   , age 10
Susan   "   , age 8
George Meyrick, age 5
Frederick Wishaw, age 20, Ag Lab
Mary   "   , age 20
Pamelow   "   , age 2 months.
 
 

The Latter-Day Saint missionaries found the Meyrick family, and they heard the message gladly. Elizabeth was the first to accept the gospel. James and Elizabeth, and their children Mary Ann, John, Thomas, and George were baptized at Ludlow, Shropshire in the River Teme, in the year 1849. James was ordained a deacon by James Philips at Ludlow in 1849.

1851 census for Ludford, Shropshire, England

 

The 1851 census shows:

 

James Meyrick, age 53, Drainer, born in Worcestershire, Knighton

   

1851 census for Ludford, Shropshire, England, second page

 

John Meyrick left for America first, in 1853. The family worked and saved, and in 1855 James and Elizabeth, with their son George, and the orphaned children of Mary Ann, sailed for America on the ship S. Curling.
 

 

The ship’s passenger list shows:
 

James Meyrick         Age 57       laborer         Origin: Ludlow

 

From the Millennial Star: “On the twenty-second of April, 1855, the ship, Samuel Curling, sailed from Liverpool with five hundred and eighty-one Saints on board, of whom three hundred and eighty-five were Perpetual Emigration Fund emigrants, all under the presidency of Elder Israel Barlow, who had acted as pastor of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Conferences. William Willis, on his return form a mission to India, and other prominent elders embarked on the on the Samuel Curling, which, after a safe and pleasant passage, arrived in New York on Tuesday, the twenty-second on May. During the voyage three children were born, and as there were no deaths on board the net increase was that number. Elder Peter Reid, who emigrated to America as a passenger in the Samuel Curling, in 1855, and who now resides in Sixteenth Ward, Salt Lake City, told the writer some time ago that the ship encountered several storms in her passage across the Atlantic, but that she passed safely through them all. In the midst of one of these storms the captain got somewhat disheartened, and declared to Brother Barlow, the president of the company of emigrants, that he, in his long experience as a seafaring man, had never encountered a worse one; he then added that the tempest had not reached its highest point yet, but that the next half hour would be worse still. Brother Barlow, in reply, told the captain that the storm was nearly over, and would not increase in violence. This bold remark of Brother Barlow made the captain angry, as he thought he knew more about the weather and the sea than anyone else on board; but on going into his cabin to examine his barometer and other nautical instruments, he found that Brother Barlow was right; the storm abated almost immediately. Elder Barlow afterwards told some of the Saints that while the storm was raging he was the ship surrounded by scores of angels, who stood in a circle around it with joined hands. This was a testimony to the Saints that the Lord was watching over the ship, and that there was no danger. Most of the passengers left New York en route for the Valley on the twenty-fourth, going by steamboat via Amboy to Philadelphia, where the emigrants were placed on the railway train, and left Philadelphia on Friday the 25^th, about noon, arriving in Pittsburg on the morning of the twenty-seventh (Sunday). The same day the P.E. Fund emigrants of the Samuel Curling joined the like passengers who had crossed the Atlantic in the Chimborazo, and on the steamship Amazon they continued the journey to St. Louis, whence they proceeded to Atchison, Kansas.”
 
 

The ship docked at New York City, and the family began the difficult journey to Utah with the Milo Andrus Company. James was very sick most of the time crossing the plains.
 
 

John met them in Salt Lake City, and took them to Pleasant Grove, Utah. James was ordained a High Priest there by Hyrum Winters, Sr. in January of 1857.
 
 

1860 census, Pleasant Grove, Utah County, Utah

They lived in Pleasant Grove until 1860, then settled in Mt. Pleasant, San Pete County, where John and George built them a house in the fort.
 
 

1870 census, Mt. Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah

James died in Mt. Pleasant on May 11, 1871. His son remembers, "He was always on hand to protect the saints, and he done a great deal of watching by night, and of guarding stock by day, and doing whatever thing he could to benefit the community at large."
 
 

1880 census, Mt. Pleasant, Utah

Elizabeth is found living alone in the 1880 census in Mt. Pleasant:
 

E. Meyrick, age 89, born in Wales, keeping house
 

Census place: Mount Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah

Gravestone of James Meyrick and Elizabeth Bumford Meyrick,
Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
 
 
 

HISTORY OF JAMES MEYRICK
Pioneer of 1855

Written by Maurine Jensen Hansen, 1970
Information taken from the diary of his son JOHN MEYRICK

James Meyrick was born 15 January 1798 at Darnel Cottage, Worchestershire, England. He was the son of Thomas Meyrick. His mother was the daughter of Lord Foley. (Her name is not known at this time). She was disinherited because she married Thomas Meyrick and he was not of the ranks. When she died a great sum of money was left in the Bank of England for her three children. it is still there because her place and date of death are not known.
 
 

James Meyrick was a hard worker, he drained land, made pools and coach roads for the Lords of the land. He was the father of nine children. All of their names are not available, however Mary Ann, Thomas, George, and John were four of them.
 
 

On September 13, 1849 James, his wife Elizabeth Mumford, Mary Ann, Thomas, George, and John were baptized in the River Tame, at Ludlow by Elder Edward Jones.
 

There was not enough money for all the family to go to the Valley so John went ahead.
 

James, Elizabeth and son George came to Utah with the Milton Anderson Company in 1855. James was ill a lot on the way across the plains. John met them in Salt Lake and took them to Battle Creek (now Pleasant Grove) to live until 1859. They then moved to Mount Pleasant, Utah. This is where James died on 11 May 1871.
 
 

This history is on file at the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Library, Salt Lake City. It was submitted by Maurine J. Hansen to the Mary Fielding Smith Camp, South Center Salt Lake Company.
 
 
 

EXCERPTS FROM THE DIARY
OF JOHN MEYRICK,
SON OF JAMES MEYRICK AND ELIZABETH MUMFORD
 
 

Page from John Meyrick's diary

"My name is John Meyrick. I am the son of James Meyrick and Elizabeth Meyrick. My mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Mumford. They had nine children, so they said."
   
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"Great-grand Father's name is Thomas Meyrick. His wife's name was Foley. She was a daughter of Lord Foley in England. She died in England. I do not know where he died. That is the great reason the Meyricks cannot get the money that is coming to them, for there was a great sum of money left for three children by the mother, for them when they came of age. It is in the Bank of England. It was put in that Bank for them and Thomas Meyrick is my grandfather. He was born at Brosley, Shropshire, England. Died at Darnell Cottage near Trembery. Buried in Nighton Church Yard, Nighton Parish, Worcestershire, England. His wife's name Sushannah Coley. She died at the same place and was buried by his side."
   
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"My father was a hard-working man and had not the means to send me to school, so I had not the chance to get any learning of any account, only by going to Sunday School. Which school and faith was of the Church of England, and I picked up a good deal in learning to read and write in my poor way in a short time.
 
But my father's work called him away to another place called Boarson (or Borson). We stayed there two years, then we moved again. So his work, it did not last long in one place, for it was draining the land and making pools and coach roads and such like, for the Lords of the land.
 
Then we moved to Trembury, but did not stay there long. There I got six months of schooling which helped me very much. but Father was bound to go to Ludlow, for he could get better work and he did. He went to draining for Lord Clive at Oakley Park. I and my brothers went with him. We had a very good job, but we had to work under such a boss, and Father did not like it, so we watched for a better chance, and it soon came. So Father got a job on his own hook and hired a man to work for him at draining for Lord Darton (?). We had a very good place of work.
 
But now the Mormon Elders came along preaching glad tidings of joy to all men. So Father had to hear and believe it. Thank God for it! So Father and Mother were baptized in August 1849, and my sister Mary Ann, me, and brothers Thomas and George were baptized on the 13th of September 1849. We were all baptized at Ludlow in the river Teme, Shropshire, England. Mother was the first to receive the Gospel and was the first baptized. We were all baptized by Elder Edward W. Jones- confirmed.
   

1853, my father asked me if I did not want to go to the valleys. I told him "yes", so he got the money which was 8 pounds, and gave it to Elder William Finch to bring me to the mountains, saying he'd like me to go with him."
   

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"1855- Father MacArthur brought the Deseret News to me and said my folks' names were in it, and they were in Salt Lake City. I started for them right off, riding a wild horse, and found them at Bro. and Sis. Meredith's. Their names are James Meyrick, Elizabeth Mumford Meyrick, George Meyrick, James Wishaw, Pemlow Wishaw, Susannah Wishaw. Father very sick and has been most of the time while crossing the plains. Pemlow has been very sick of the mountain fever. Most of the hair has come out of her head. Hard times for bread, grass hoppers having destroyed most everything, both for man and beast. I raised seventeen bushels of wheat, gave it to my folks. I had house and lot- gave it to them also, and started for San Bernadino, Calif."
   
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"1859- went to Sanpete. Stopped at Moroni two or three days, then went to Hampton, now called Mt. Pleasant. Worked on the wall 23 days. My brother George took up some land.
 
 In 1860 we moved our parents from Pleasant Grove to Sanpete. Built house in fort. Chimney fell down twice the same day. Put it up and it stayed."
   
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"My dear father died this year (1871). He was always on hand to protect the saints and he done a great deal of watching by night of garding stock by day and doing whatever thing he could to benefit the community at large, being 73 years old. He signed off his property to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the year 1857 at Pleasant Grove, Utah County."
 

Source: Transcript of John Meyrick's diary provided by Bryant F. Merrick.
 

EXCERPTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF THE PASSAGE
OF THE SHIP "SANDERS CURLING" LEAVING LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND
FOR NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, AMERICA
EMBARKING APRIL 22, 1855- ARRIVING MAY 22, 1855

Among the 581 Passengers:
 

James Merrick             Age 57          laborer

Elizabeth Ann Merrick        56

George Merrick                 18           laborer

Pamelo Wishaw                 14

Susannah Wishaw              10

James Wishaw                     7
 
 

Address of the family, April 1, 1855, as recorded on the ship register was:

James Merrick, Ludlow, Shropshire, England.
 
 

ELDER MILO ANDRUS COMPANY, WHICH CROSSED THE PLAINS FROM:
MORMON GROVE (near Atchinson) TERRITORY KANSAS
TO THE GREAT SALT LAKE VALLEY TERRITORY OF UTAH
Leaving August 4, 1855- Arriving October 24, 1855

Members of the Company

James Merrick

Elizabeth Ann Merrick

Pamelo Wishaw

Susan Wishaw

James Wishaw
 
 

*The list of emigrants of the company carries these names:
 

James Merrick, wife and child

Pamelia Wishaw

Susannah Wishaw
   

From the History of the William Henry Green Family, 1970.
 
 

FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
JAMES MEYRICK AND
ELIZABETH ANN BUMFORD

James Meyrick was born 15 January 1798 in Darnal Cottage, Tenbury, Worcester, England to Thomas Meyrick and Susannah Coley. There is a smallholding in the parish of Tenbury called Dearnall. James married Elizabeth Ann Bumford 4 August 1817 in Bettws, Montgomery, Wales. She was born 16 January 1799 in Bettws parish, Newton, Montgomery, Wales to Edward Bumford and Margaret Davies. James died 11 May 1871 in Mt. Pleasant, San Pete, Utah. Elizabeth died 10 January 1883 in Mt. Pleasant. Both are buried in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.

James and Elizabeth had the following children:

2. James, born 22 May 1822 in Milson, Shropshire, England.
 

3. Thomas, born 9 September 1825 in Worcestershire, England; married Mary Sulhil.
 

4. John, born 22 May 1828 in Eastham, Worchester, England; died 16 September 1829.
 

5. John, born 17 May 1831 in Talgarth, Brecon, Wales; married Jemima Hutchinson 22 November 1861; died 21 April 1899.
 

6. Susannah, born 24 June 1834 in Warrick, Warwick, England.
 

7. George William, born 13 June 1838 in Leamington, Warwick, England; married Hannah Green about 1862; died 20 November 1886.
 

8. Frederick, born February 1839 in Worchester, Worcester, England; died 29 April 1839.
 
 

SOURCES: John Meyrick's diary; IGI; Family Group sheet prepared by Bryant Merrick.