Jane Nancy Romeril
Daughters of Utah Pioneers
Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude 2399
JANE NANCY ROMRIALL/ROMMRELL HAMMOND PIERCE
Birthdate: 23 Feb. 1830
St. John, Jersey Islands (Channel Islands)
Death: 4 Feb. 1909
Ogden, Weber, Co. Utah
Parents: Francois Romriell
Mary Billot
Pioneer: 22 Sep. 1855
Spouse: Joseph Hammond
Married 1858
Death Sp. May 1859
Children:
Mary Jane, 17 Mar. 1858
Matilda, 20 Jul 1859
Spouse II: George Thomas Pierce
Children:
George Thomas, 16 Dec. 1869
Eliza Rebecca, 31 Oct. 1871
Benjamin Franklin, 9 Sep. 1873
Elizabeth, 8 Oct. 1875 (died as child)
Porter Marion, 21 Sep. 1877
Fredrick Abraham, 15 Dec. 1879
Bertha, 22 Nov 1881 (died as child)
After six weeks on the ocean where they experienced terrible storms, malnutrition (sea
biscuits were the average fare deep into the voyage), stale water that grew scarce, and
diseases that were inescapable, the company of Saints landed in New York.
Making their way to Mormon Grove, Kansas. the 305 souls left on July 28, 1855 to cross
the Plains in Captain Harpers Wagon Company. Each wagon usually was stuffed so full
of the necessities of the journey that only a privileged few were able to ride most of the
way. Twenty-five year old Jane Nancy walked nearly the whole ninety-four day crossing,
arriving into the Salt Lake Valley deep into fall weather with feet sore and bleeding. Her
family settled in Little Cottonwood.
In 1858, when Jane Nancy was twenty-eight, she married Joseph Hammond (a much
older man) as his second wife. Two girls were born of this marriage. That same year the
Saints were advised to move north and Jane Nancy pushed her little girl in a handcart to
Bingham Fort (Lynne Wards, Five Points, Ogden) where they settled.
Joseph died two months before the birth of their second little daughter, leaving Jane
Nancy to survive and provide on her own. For four years she struggled to care for herself
and her little ones then she married George Thomas Pierce in Ogden. Eight children were
born of this marriage.
Pain and grief visited the family when they lost Elizabeth and then Bertha as young
children, but joy in seeing the others grow and make families of their own was here also.
Her children settled in the Ogden area, not too far away, and it comforted her to have her
two oldest girls sealed to their stepfather in the Endowment House on June 19, 1871.
Jane made her surroundings beautiful with flowers plants. It is said that she had the most
beautiful parlor and furnishings on 2nd. Street in Ogden, where she lived in a big brick
home, still standing.
Jane Nancy was born on St. John, Jersey Island in 1830. She was the key to her parents
introduction into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through the missionaries
teachings. Jane Nancy was eighteen when her family joined the Church.
Her family was enthusiastic and they were the catalyst in spreading the word of the
Gospel on that Island, holding meetings in their home for the next seven years until in
1855, their preparations complete, they embarked for America.
Note: Some of the dates and things in this article are wrong. Jane was born as Jane Ann,
23 Feb. 1837, in Grouville, Jersey, baptized in the church 20 Apr. 1850. See the Pedigree
sheet for the correct dates of the children.
Jane Nancy Romeril 1