Ann Green History 1

Ann Green

                                            

                       ANN GREEN DUTSON CARLING

(This history is taken from "The Dutson Family History" compiled by Louise Lyman Nielson and

Dora Dutson Flack, pages 1-9)

In the town of Lugwardine, Herefordshire, England lived a shoemaker by the name of William

Green and his wife, Jane Prosser Green. They had a large family of eleven children: nine girls and

two boys. (Refer to Green Family history.)

Ann (the fifth daughter) was born October 3, 1799. 1

The Greens owned their own home but were in rather humble circumstances. The children were

taught to be industrious. When the sons become old enough, they helped their father in his shoe

shop. The daughters helped their mother spin, weave, and make clothing. Socks, stockings,

gloves, etc. were all knitted by hand. Everything the family wore or needed had to be made in the

home. In addition to all these duties, the mother and daughters supplemented the family income by

running a laundry.

When Ann was a young woman she went to the city of Hereford to work as a maid in the home of

a somewhat wealthy English couple, Joseph and Elizabeth Haffield Dutson. Their son John fell in

love with Ann. His parents fully realized that she was honest and industrious, a woman of good

character, possessing some exceptional qualities. However, because she was a servant in their

home, they felt that it was beneath John's station to marry her.2 Notwithstanding their protests John

Dutson and Ann Green were married in March of 1826, after posting banns February 7, 1826.

They loved each other dearly and were very happy.

A little daughter, whom they christened Jane Ann, came to bless their home March 10, 1827 and

her sweet presence filled their hearts with joy. John was a good husband and provided well for his

family. In the summer of 1828 he went away on a business trip. While away he sent home a bolt of

cloth so that his wife and small daughter and the baby, whom they were expecting in a few weeks,

could be well clothed. He didn't return and was never heard from again. Only those who have had

loved ones missing can fully realize Ann's suffering as each day she watched, hoped, and prayed

for his safe return. Ann and John's parents finally mourned him as dead. Her family was very good

to her and did everything possible so lighten her burdens and ease her suffering.

Even while Ann still watched and waited for the return of her husband, she gave birth to a son

September 28, 1828. He was christened John William, John for his father and William for his

grandfather William Green, who for many years was not only a fond grandfather, but did all he

could to take the place of a father in providing for the needs of both of Ann's children.

Ann and her children first heard the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ preached by Wilford

Woodruff, who was an apostle at the time. Jane Ann was 13 and John William was 11 years of

age. They believed what they heard and were baptized September 24 1840. Wilford Woodruff

baptized Ann. All her family joined the church and each of them had a strong testimony of the

gospel.

Ann, her children, and her family, with the exception of two sisters and their husbands set sail from

Liverpool, England for America September 24, 1842 on the ship "Medford" with one thousand

saints aboard. This large company of saints was under the leadership of Apostle Orson Hyde.

They landed in New Orleans November 13, 1842 with everyone on board safe and in good

spirits. Then followed the journey up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, where they remained

during the winter. While at St. Louis Ann's father, William Green became ill and died there at the

age of 88 years. In the spring of 1843 they continued their journey to Nauvoo. At this time John

William was between 14 and 15 years old, and was large for his age. He obtained work in a

brickyard where he earned bricks and helped to build a home.

At Nauvoo they endured many hardships and much persecution (described in biography of John

William Dutson).

While living in Nauvoo Ann met John Carling, a widower with three children two others having

died in infancy: Isaac Van Wagoner, Sarah Wildey Frances (died in infancy) Catherine Keaton,

Abraham Freer, and John Warner (died in infancy). They were married June 10,1844. Ann Green

Dutson and John Carling were the parents of two sons:

Francis Caleb (Frank) Carling born August 9, 1845 at Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois.

Joseph Mathew Carling born June 25, 1847 in Pottowattamie County, Iowa.

Ann and her husband together with his three children by the former marriage and their own two

small sons, crossed the plains to the Salt Lake Valley in 1852. Of course, they endured all the

hardships incident to crossing the plains, and very likely Ann walked most if not all the way .

They settled first in Provo where her sister, Elizabeth Richmond lived, then moved to Fillmore and

built a home. Ann made her home in Fillmore the remainder of her life. Her eldest child and only

daughter Jane Ann married Alexander Melville May 29. 1848. They also made their home in

Fillmore.

Ann's husband John Carling was always a good husband and father. He served one term in the

Territory Legislature. Shortly after the expiration of his term he died April 2,1855. During the

following years Ann was called upon several times to endure the sorrow of parting with loved

ones.

There was a very happy reunion when her son John William Dutson, his wife Elizabeth Jane and

their two small daughters arrived in Fillmore in the fall of 1857.

Ann's youngest son, Joseph Mathew Carling, died at the age of nineteen.

His untimely death was caused indirectly by his big heart and sympathy for those in distress. He

had gone to Clear Lake grounds for hay a short time before Christmas. In the same group was a

man and boy scantily clothed and with little bedding. Joseph insisted on sharing his own bedding

with these unfortunate companions with the result that his own legs were frozen. After severe

suffering he died January 25, 1866.

The elder son Francis Caleb Carling, as a young man married Fannie Emiline Nixon. They had two

children, Joseph Mathew (named for Frank's brother) and Charlotte Emma. Frank died at the

early age of 26 of heart trouble. Before he died, he asked his half-brother, John William Dutson, to

take his wife Fannie as a polygamous wife and care for his children. His son Joseph Mathew died

when only about 10 years of age.

Ann's sister Elizabeth Richmond moved to Fillmore after the death of her husband. Two humble

one room homes were built side by side, for the two sisters. Aunt Richmond as she was lovingly

called by her sister's grandchildren had her niece Florence Virginia Dutson live with her and Ann

had her grandchild Mary Jane Melville live with her. Mary Jane had been a tiny, sickly baby so

was taken by her grandmother to raise. She was three years older than "Florrie" but they were

always very close friends.

Sometimes when Ann had to go out with the sick at night her sister would go with. Then the two

little girls were left at one of the homes to sleep together. One night when this happened the girls

went out in the orchard and got some early harvest apples. They had been told never to eat in bed.

But bed time came, and they still hadn't had enough apples. They went to bed and took one last

apple to eat. Their apples were almost finished when the "old ladies" returned. Both girls grasped

their apple cores in their hands and shut their eyes. The Ladies stepped over to the bed. Aunt

Richmond said "Florrie's asleep". Ann said, "Mary Jane is asleep". The girls had quite a time not to

give away their secret as they nudged one another and waited for the house to get settled for the

night. Then one of the girls slipped outside with the apple cores. They were careful not to disobey

in this way again.

Both women were immaculate housekeepers. Everything had a place and everything was to be

kept where it should be. The little girls were taught to put things away and to iron pillow cases in

the true English manner. Every Saturday morning the native lumber floors had to be scrubbed with

white sand which was obtained west of Fillmore.

All of Ann's grandchildren lived close to her. They loved to get together in her big front yard and

play games. In the winter when snow was on the ground, "Fox and Geese" was a great favorite.

Shoes were hard to get and often the winter snows came and caught the children without shoes;

but this didn't stop their fun. They played in the snow barefoot. Sometimes they would make a big

circle and see how many times they could run around this circle without going in the house to warm

their feet.

Ann's early home training prepared her well for the hardships of pioneer life. She was a leader in

the community in many ways. The women came to her to be taught things that would make them

efficient in caring for their families.

While living in Nauvoo the Prophet Joseph Smith laid his hands on Ann's head and set her apart as

a midwife and told her that she would be successful in caring for the sick if she would use herbs

exclusively in her work. Some years later in Utah she became known as the "herb doctor". She

had her own herb garden and prepared her own tea and medicine .

An account of her use of herbs was predated by her great-granddaughter Waiora Bishop Wallace,

as told to her by her mother, Annie Melville Bishop.

"A partial list of the herbs and some of their uses are as follows: Saffron - was steeped and the tea

was given to the newborn babies to clear their skin. Yarrow - was steeped and the tea was used in

tonics. Sometimes the leaves were bruised and used for ointment for wounds. Tansy - This herb

was steeped alone or with yarrow and the tea was used by girls and women with female troubles.

Tame Sage - The tea from this herb was given to people with colds and fever. Wild Cherry Bark -

steeped as tea. Inner Bark of Quaking Aspen - The tea made from these was used as a spring

tonic. Very often it was given to a young mother who may have developed a fever. Wild Sage -

This was steeped and the tea given to individuals with mountain fever or neuritis. Rhubarb Roots -

They were dried, ground very fine, mixed with soda and magnesia, and were given as a laxative or

for a fever. Senna Leaves - This herb and raisins were steeped together and the tea given to

children who had the worms. Desert Root - The tea made from this root was used for people who

had kidney or bladder trouble. Elderberry - The bark, root and berries were all used in different

medicines. Dandelion Roots - The tea made from this was given for liver trouble. Wild Grape Root

- This root was steeped with tame sage and mixed with honey and given for canker. Plantain Root

- The leaves were bruised and were given for a poultice to draw out infection. Most of the herbs

grown in her garden had beautiful flowers. Her garden therefore was valuable not only as a

producer of herbs for medicinal purposes, but was valuable as a garden of beauty. "3

For years she was the only midwife to serve the needs of the people of Fillmore and neighboring

towns. In those early days no other doctor was available in that part of Utah. Therefore, Ann took

the place of one, setting broken bones and sewing up wounds in addition to being a midwife and

herb doctor. She brought hundreds of babies into the world and was not only godmother to these

babies but doctor for all the ills of both young and old. Her fee as midwife was $3.00 - if the

people had the means with which to pay. She accepted her fee in either cash or produce. Even

though sanitary precautions were not stressed in her time. She instinctively practiced extreme

cleanliness without realizing the scientific need. Naturally many of the cases on which Ann was

called were sad and destined for tragedy. Eliza Marie Partridge Lyman kept a journal in which she

related an incident of her daughter Carlie when they called Ann for assistance:

"Carlie very sick indeed. Sent for Platte in the night. Delia came in the morning. Sent to Fillmore

for Sister Ann Carling, as the woman we had said she had done that evening all she could do.

Sister Carling did not get here till 7 in the evening. About half-past 8 Carlie was delivered of a fine

son weighing 8 pounds. Carlie's sufferings during this day are past description. No mortal, but a

woman, can suffer so and live. May I never witness such suffering again. Platte stood by her like a

brother and his wife, Adelia, did all she could as also Sister Caroline and others; but no one could

do much good till Sister Carling came. She soon brought relief and the best sound I ever heard

was when I heard the baby cry. She rested very well that night but was very lame next day and

could not move without being lifted on a sheet but seemed as comfortable as could be expected

under the circumstances ....4

Two weeks later unfortunately Carlie died after much suffering and left her baby in her mother's

care. Carlie was a polygamous wife of Thomas Callister. Even the Indians came to Ann for

medical assistance. This she discouraged because oil their superstitions and customs. The Indians

trusted the white "herb doctor'" in every way. Ann was kind to them. She gave them fruit from her

own trees and showed them how to take care of it for drying. They were allowed to dry the fruit

on Ann's sheds. After the fruit was dried the Indians sacked It and stored it in Ann's cellar. As it

was needed they came and got a small portion at a time, leaving the rest with Ann so implicit was

their faith in her.

It was her custom to perch on the running gears of a wagon and tell the driver to drive as fast as

the horses would go. From this precarious perch she fell one day en route to Meadow and broke

her hip. This brought a halt to her practice as a midwife at the age of 90.

Ann's granddaughter Florence Virginia Dutson Nielson followed as a successful nurse. She used

many of her grandmother's remedies and medicines and was in great demand to treat the diseases

of babies and children. An enlarged picture of her grandmother always occupied a prominent place

in her home.

Ann was a strong, brave faithful, kind, and sympathetic person. Her grandchildren who, in later

years lived in Oak City, tell of how she cried when they come to Fillmore to see her. She wept

because she was so happy to see them; and when they left she cried because she hated to see

them leave. She was loved and respected by all and was "Grandma Carling" to almost everyone.

Although Ann had only four children and just three of them married, she has a numerous posterity.

From these three children she had 35 grandchildren, three of whom are still living [as of 1957],

Mathias Caleb Dutson, Samuel Cleamont Dutson, and Sarah Ann Geneva Wiley.

When the Prophet set her apart as a midwife he promised her she would not suffer death. On July

3, 1893 she suffered a paralytic stroke and on the 16th of July she passed peacefully away. She

was 94 years of age.5

Her reward must surely be one of great glory, since she spent all her life serving her fellowmen.

Her picture hangs in the State House Museum at Fillmore. Tourists have often remarked that she

surely must hove been a wonderful woman as "it shows in her face" - the result of a full life nobly

lived.

                                FOOTNOTES

     1. There is considerable controversy concerning Ann's birth date. Her Endowment card

     shows the date given. However, christening records searched in England in Lugwardine

     gives the date as November 18, 1802. At the time of her death she was reportedly "94

     years of age". The discrepancy in birth dates leaves a questions naturally concerning her age

     at death.

     2. This story has been handed down to us. However, Waiora Wallace who has done

     considerable research on the Dutson line feels that there is a possibility that this situation

     referred to Elizabeth Haffield (who married Joseph Dutson) rather than Ann Green.

     3. Kate B. Carter, "Heart Throbs of The West, " Vol . 3, p. 137.

     4. Kate B. Carter, "Treasures of Pioneer History, " Vol. 2, p. 266

     5. Same as note #1, above.

Scanned by Joseph F. Buchanan - updated 10 July 1996

Histories of my ancestors (index)