Show WAS FIRST TO WEAVE SILK SILI CLOTH IN UTAH Centerville Woman Recalls Being by Indians The CENTERVILLE The first woman to tow weave ave silk cloth in Utah Mrs Eliza Elizabeth beth Mills Whitaker 95 of Centerville has lived ived a varied life lile Enjoying good gooc health she recently returned from a trip to Los Angeles w which l h she made mad unaccompanied When asked by one of her sons why she didn't take an airplane airplane air air- plane she replied I would but Evelyn Evelyn Eve Eve- lyn her daughter wouldn't hear to it On my recent trip to California I Became acquainted on the train with an elderly lady ady who told me that her children didn't like her her- herto to travel alone She told me she was 81 I 1 was 14 when she was born Remembered Prophet As a child Mrs Whitaker hers bers jere having the Prophet t Joseph Smith hold lold her on his lap With the first silk woven in lin Utah her husband had sent to England for lor forthe the he silk worms she made a scarf for President Brigham Young which he came to Centerville to get It is now In Ina a museum She was twice once by gypsies in England when she was 2 years old and later by Indians as a airl girl irl of 13 crossing the plains Married at 15 her husband was killed tilled within a year Later she remar remar- ried tied During her active life she has done much fine embroidery work and andis ands is s now busily engaged on a rag rug Just Cant Can't Stop My hands have gotten accustomed to o work and they just cant can't stop she says ays Mrs Whitaker was born March 7 7 1839 at Douglas Isle of Man A few I years ears later her parents joined the L. L D. D S. S church and came to America Of her experiences in crossing the plains she says When I 1 was 12 12 the Saints were driven from Nauvoo We crossed the river iver on flatboats pushing the floating ice ce from them with our hands Arriving ing ng safely on the opposite shore we pitched our tents and remained until spring pring Joining Captain Wilkie's campany company com cam pany we set out for Utah Near the Platte river young Indian Indian Indian In In- dian braves attacked us I was tending tend tend- ing ng some babies The braves came up to o our camp knocked the cook cook- I lag ing ng vessels and began molesting U us One of them came to the camp wagon I 1 was in and put out his hand toward one of the babies but I struck him on the he wrist with par part of a yoke oke Seized by Indian Seizing me by the arm he dragged me to his horse and rode of off with I 44 ft r 1 I Mrs irs Elizabeth t whitaker his companions For my return our people were obliged to give lansom ransom in inthe inthe the he form of sugar tobacco Hour flour and other things I 1 had gold earrings The Indians didn't know how to take them off orr so they simply ripped them off oU This was the worst scare I ever had hadIn hadin hadn In n my life When we arr arrived ved In the Salt Lake valley the people were living in a fortress to protect themselves ves from the Indians There were only three private homes Brigham Young occupied occupied occupied oc oc- oc- oc one of them Mrs Whitaker recalls the great grasshopper plague which threatened to o destroy all the crops I I have seen them hem stacked in such heaps on fence lines ines that they resembled walls she said sai Twelve Children Mrs Whitaker was married first to William who was drowned shortly after In 1858 she was married to o Thomas F. F Whitaker by President Pres dent Brigham Young She is the mother of six sons and six daughters nine of whom are living Judge Joseph J. J Whitaker Mrs Emily Smily Barber Mrs Mamie Parrish Mrs Hugh Folsom of Centerville John M M. Whitaker Salt Lake City Mrs George Halvorsen Los Angeles and Dr Walter Waller E. E Whitaker She has 40 0 grandchildren and more than great-grandchildren great and three gi great great- cat cat- great |