Ralph Partington
Encyclopedia
Ralph Partington was a Mormon pioneer
.
Partington was born in Skippool
, Lancashire
, England
, and was married to Ann Taylor. Taylor was among the first English women to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when she was baptized in the River Ribble
in 1837. The couple emigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois
, with their four children aboard the ship Swanton in 1843. Ann bore a child en route.
When they landed in Nauvoo, the couple both came down with malaria
, which kept them from supporting their family. Neighbors Willard and Jeanetta Richards
adopted their eight-year-old daughter Ellen to help ease the burden. She was later sealed as the Richards' daughter in the Nauvoo Temple
. Another neighbor took the newborn baby, which soon died. When the couple regained health in 1845, Partington found work as a carpenter and Ann gave birth to another child.
When mobs forced the Mormons from Nauvoo in the winter of 1846, the Partingtons ended up across the river in Montrose, Iowa
, with no provisions. Instead of heading west with the main body of Latter Day Saints (including Ellen and the Richards family), they moved to St. Louis
where Partington found more carpentry work. While there they had another baby, which died at 5 months.
From St. Louis, Partington sent clothing and shoes to Ellen before she crossed the plains with the Richards family. She married in 1851 at age 16 years and 9 months. By 1853, the Partingtons had enough money to leave for Utah. When they arrived in Salt Lake City, Ellen had an 11-month-old child. Their daughter Catherine married Hugh Findlay
.
Mormon Pioneer
The Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated across the United States from the Midwest to the Salt Lake Valley in what is today the U.S. state of Utah...
.
Partington was born in Skippool
Poulton-le-Fylde
Poulton-le-Fylde is a market town in Lancashire, England, situated on the coastal plain called the Fylde. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 18,264. There is evidence of human habitation in the area from 12,000 years ago and several archaeological finds from Roman...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and was married to Ann Taylor. Taylor was among the first English women to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when she was baptized in the River Ribble
River Ribble
The River Ribble is a river that runs through North Yorkshire and Lancashire, in northern England. The river's drainage basin also includes parts of Greater Manchester around Wigan.-Geography:...
in 1837. The couple emigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, with their four children aboard the ship Swanton in 1843. Ann bore a child en route.
When they landed in Nauvoo, the couple both came down with malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, which kept them from supporting their family. Neighbors Willard and Jeanetta Richards
Willard Richards
Willard Richards was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served as Second Counselor in the First Presidency to church president Brigham Young in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death.Willard Richards was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to...
adopted their eight-year-old daughter Ellen to help ease the burden. She was later sealed as the Richards' daughter in the Nauvoo Temple
Nauvoo Temple
The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons. The church's first temple was completed in Kirtland, Ohio, United States in 1836. When the main body of the church was forced out of Nauvoo, Illinois in the...
. Another neighbor took the newborn baby, which soon died. When the couple regained health in 1845, Partington found work as a carpenter and Ann gave birth to another child.
When mobs forced the Mormons from Nauvoo in the winter of 1846, the Partingtons ended up across the river in Montrose, Iowa
Montrose, Iowa
Montrose is a city in Lee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 957 at the 2000 census. The town is located on the Mississippi River. It is part of the Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA-MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, with no provisions. Instead of heading west with the main body of Latter Day Saints (including Ellen and the Richards family), they moved to St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
where Partington found more carpentry work. While there they had another baby, which died at 5 months.
From St. Louis, Partington sent clothing and shoes to Ellen before she crossed the plains with the Richards family. She married in 1851 at age 16 years and 9 months. By 1853, the Partingtons had enough money to leave for Utah. When they arrived in Salt Lake City, Ellen had an 11-month-old child. Their daughter Catherine married Hugh Findlay
Hugh Findlay
Hugh Findlay was one of the first two Mormon missionaries to enter India and initiated Mormon missionary work in the Shetland Islands.-Conversion:...
.