Ann Green History 3

Ann Green Dutson Carling

Our Pioneer Heritage

Volume 6

Pioneer Midwives

Set Apart by the Prophet Joseph Smith

Emigrant's Guide

Ann Green Dutson Carling was born October 3, 1799, to William and Jane

Prosser Green, in Lugwardine, Herefordshire, England. When a young woman

she went to the city of Hereford to work as a maid in the home of a

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.

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. On March 10, 1827, their first

daughter, Jane Ann was born. In the summer of 1828, John went away on a

business trip, and was never heard from again. Ann gave birth to a son,

John William on September 28, 1828.

Ann and her children were baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-day Saints on September 24, 1840, and two years later set sail

for America. They landed in New Orleans, November 13, 1842, and

journeyed to St. Louis where they remained during the winter. Here Ann's

father, William Green, became ill and died. In the spring of 1843 they

continued their journey to Nauvoo, Illinois. While living here, Ann met

John Carling, a widower with three children. They were married June 10,

1844, and became the parents of two sons. Ann and her husband, his three

children and their two small sons crossed the plains to Salt Lake Valley

in 1852. They first settled in Provo, then moved to Fillmore where Ann

made her home the remainder of her life.

While living in Nauvoo, the Prophet Joseph Smith laid his hands on Ann's

head and set her apart as a midwife, telling 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 an herb garden and prepared her own tea and medicine.

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

Fillmore and neighboring towns. In those days no other doctor was

available in that part of Utah; therefore, Ann set broken bones and

sewed 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 eight 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.

Even the Indians came to Ann for medical assistance, as they trusted the

white "herb doctor" in every way. Ann was kind to them. 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 ninety.

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 diseases of babies and

children. An enlarged picture of her grandmother always occupied a

prominent place in her home.

When the Prophet set Ann apart as a midwife he promised her she would

not suffer at death. On July 3, 1893, she had a paralytic stroke and on

the 16th of July passed peacefully away. She was 94 years of

age.—Margaret W. Willis.

ANN GREEN DUTSON CARLING BETTER KNOWN AS GRANDMA CARLING WAS TRAINED IN OBSTETRICS AND ATTENDED TO HUNDREDS OF WOMEN IN MILLARD COUNTY IN THEIR CONFINEMENTS.  HER FEE OF THREE DOLLARS WAS USUALLY PAID IN POTATOES, SQUASH, FRUIT, OR ANY COMMODITY THE PATIENTS HAPPENED TO HAVE.  SHE SEEMED TO HAVE A MAGIC TOUCH.  MANY A SICK CHILD WAS SOOTHED TO SLEEP BY THE TENDER RUBBING OF HER AFFECTIONATE HAND.  SHE BREWED HERBS AND COMPOUNDED HER OWN MEDICINES.  SHE ARRIVED IN FILLMORE IN OCT OF 1853 WITH A TEAPOT FULL OF BLACK WALNUTS.  SHE PLANTED SOME OF THEM ON HER PROPERTY ON SECOND NORTH AND 1ST WEST STREETS.  ONE OF THOSE HUGE WALNUT TREES IS STILL STANDING.  IT'S TRUNK MEASURES MORE THAN 60 INCHES IN CIRCUMFERENCE.  (THIS WAS WRITTEN SEVERAL YEARS AGO)

 TAKEN FROM PAGE 192 OF PIONEERS AND PROMINENT MEN OF UTAH BY FRANK ESSHOM 1913.