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Show Death Claims Manomas Andrus, Oldest f Living Utah Pioneer Death at 10:30 p.m. Friday, May 31, brought to a close the lite of Manomas Lavinia Gibson Andrus, 98, and known for years as the eldest living pioneer woman wo-man of the west, and last but one of the original pioneers of 1847. She died at the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. Clyde Graff, whom she raised, and with whom she has resided for many years. She suffered a severe heart attack at-tack one week earlier and was bedfast until her death. Born in Ottawa County, Miss. March 10, 1842, she was tenth of 11 children born to George Washington and Mary Ann Sparks Gibson. She was about four years old when her parents poined the L.D.S. church and began the trek westward. They left Mississippi Missis-sippi in the summer of 1846 but wintered at Pueblo due to her father's illness of typhoid. Later they joined Capt. Brown's de-tatchment de-tatchment of the Mormon Bata-lion Bata-lion and came on to Utah, arriving arriv-ing one week after the main division of Brigham Young's (Continued on page eight) Manomas Andrus Death I Continued from first page) party. To her death she remem-tn'retl remem-tn'retl clearly many of the harrowing harrow-ing incidents of the winter spent in Pueblo, where she with her ii.sUrs and mother were the only women folks. Many men, gambling gamb-ling and quarreling, enroute to the Gold coast, also wintered over at that camp. In Utah, they settled st Big Cottonwood. Her mother was an invalid and Iwing younger she was at home Id care for her until she was 15. She worked out for several months receiving $1.50 per week for house work, washing, ironing and sewing. Among those she Worked for were Zina Young, (wile of Pres. Brigham Young) in the Bee Hive house. Corner To Dixie Early in 1862 her father moved his family to Dixie, settling at what is now known as Grafton. Later she came to St. George to stay with her sister, Laura, who had married James Andrus. He had been called with Daniel D. AIcArthur to escort emigrants across ac-ross the plains, and according to plans they met him in Salt Lake City, where she became his plural wife in the old Endowment House, September 12, 1863. Returning Re-turning to Dixie, she lived for five years at Duncan's Retreat, later moving to Grafton. In 1872 she moved to the Andrus ranch at Canaan, where she lived for 12 years, part of the time at Pipe Valley. For five years her home was a wagon box, with 12 to 15 men to cook for. Much of the time she was alone while her husband. hus-band. Captain of Indian expeditions, expedi-tions, was out on duty. She had many terrifying experiences during dur-ing these years, as well as sorrow in the death of her first three children. She has resided in St. George since 1886, and a short time prior to her death in recounting her experiences ex-periences she remembered traveling travel-ing in most every type of con-veyance con-veyance from ox cart to train and auto, having driven in the first car brought to Springville. She lived during the time of all the presidents to date of the L.D.S. church: of all of the presidents of the United States since and including in-cluding John Tyler; through all the years of Utah; through vast political expansion of the United States: through the Civil war, Spanish-American war, World war. BDnd For 18 Years Blind for the past 18 years, she "has never been depressed by this great affliction, and continued to keep her time employed, hemming dozens of tea towels, washing dishes, and attending thousands of sessions of the L.D.S. Temple in St. George. Through these years of blindness she has enjoyed -every care and tenderness from her children, grandchildren and the love and respect of all who knew her. She continued to attend the Temple until December, 1939, and to attend Sunday services, social gatherings, meetings of the D.U.P., one camp of which honors her name. She was for more than 35 years an active member of the stake Old Folks committee. Mother of 13 children, she is survived by the following five, M. "W. Andrus, A. B. Andrus, Charles Andrus, Mrs. N. J. Wadsvvorth and Mrs. Clair Morris, all of St. George. She also raised a granddaughter. grand-daughter. Caddie Andrus Graff, with whom she resided at the time of her death. There are also 2S grandchildren and 33 greatgrandchildren, great-grandchildren, two brothers, George W. Gibson, of Hurricane and William Gibson, of Arizona, and a sister, Mrs. James Lowder, of Parowan. Tunpral Services Funeral services held in the south ward chapel, at 4 p.m. Sunday Sun-day were attended by nearly 500 relatives and friends, the relatives rela-tives coming from northern Utah and Southern California. Services were in charge of Bp. Andrew Mc-Arthur, Mc-Arthur, with Mae A. Pace at the pipe organ. Musical numbers included "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" and "Sometime We'll Understand" by the south ward mixed quartet with Ruth Miles, Melba Baker, Lenzi Sullivan and Wm. A. "Whitehead; "White-head; vocal solo, "I Do Believe", "Mrs. Andrus' favorite number, by Dihvorth Snow and vocal solo, ""Going Home" by Mrs. Pratt Miles. Speakers were James McArthur, former bishop and lifelong neighbor; neigh-bor; George Worthen, R. B. Gibson, Gib-son, of Las Vegas, a nephew of Mrs. Andrus and member of the Moapa stake presidency and Pres. H. S. Snow. All paid the highest tribute to her gentleness, her steadfast faith in her religion and her friends and fellowbeings, her fidelity to her husband, love and patience with her children, who have richly rewarded her in their tenderness and loving kindness, and her unflinching testimony. A person tribute from the Manomas Andrus D.U.P. camp was read by Loie Watson Snow, and a granddaughter, Rhoda Andrus, read a tribute to the family written by Zaidee Walker Miles, lifelong friend of the family. Prayers were by Bp. Henry Andrus and Frank Andrus, nephews, - both of Draper, Utah, and the grave in the city cemetery was dedicated by George H. Lytle. The entire rostrum was banked with floral tributes, granddaughters granddaugh-ters and great granddaughters serving as flower girls, and grandsons as pall bearers, including Bp. James Andrus, George Andrus, Howard Morris, Iliff Andrus, Calvert Cal-vert Andrus and Andrew Soren-son. |