HISTORY OF WILLIAM BROADHEAD
William Broadhead, the immigrant ancestor, was born in Coventry,
Warwickshire, England, on the 28th of June 1806, the son of Robert and Judith
Dakin Broadhead. He was christened in the St. Michael’s Parish at Coventry
(Church of England) on the 15th day of July 1806. He was married to Sarah
Golding at Coventry on the 20th day of May 1827. She was born in Coventry on
the 20th of June 1800, the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Enock Golding and
was christened in the St. Michael’s Parish at Coventry on the 10th of July 1800. To
this union was born eight children – Seven sons and one daughter: John, John
Enoch, David, Elizabeth, William, Robert, Thomas and Jabez. Four of the boys
died young.
Our Broadhead ancestors in England were all weavers by trade.
David has this to say about his father William Broadhead. “His parents being
poor he received but little education. He was a sober, honest man and generally
respected by those who knew him. He was early impressed with religious ideas
and attached himself to the Methodists, a sect very popular at that time. He
zealously advocated their doctrine for several years. In the winter of 1844 an
Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came into the town where
he was living and commenced to advocate the faith of the Saints. My father,
having investigated the principles of the Church, became convinced that they
were true and on the 22nd of December 1844 was baptized and confirmed a
member of the Church by Thomas Day. His wife, Sarah, was baptized on the 6th
of January 1845 and confirmed same day by Thomas Day. Shortly afterwards he
was ordained and Elder in the Church and was appointed to preside over the
Branch of the Church in Coventry, which position he held until the winter of
1850. He was a zealous laborer in the cause of truth and whenever opportunity
offered, he preached the Gospel in the neighboring villages and was the means in
the hands of God of bringing many into the Church.
The Coventry Branch records give very little information but they do show that
William Broadhead was President of that Branch on the 7th of March 1874 and
John M. Barker was the clerk. Another entry states that on the 3rd of September
1848 Brother Smith was discontinued s book agent for the branch and Brother
Broadhead was appointed.
William Broadhead’s third son, David, was married at Coventry on the 29th of
January 1850 to Harriet Betts, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Bennet Betts.
David and Harriet sailed for America on the ship “Josiah Bradley” on the 18th of
February 1850. They crossed the plains in 1853 and settled at Nephi, Utah.
In January 1851 William and Sarah along with their three remaining children,
Elizabeth, Robert and Jabez, left their home in Bricklin Lane, Much Park Street,
Coventry, Warwickshire, England, enroute for America. They sailed from
Liverpool, England on Thursday, January 30, 2962 on the ship “Ellen Maria”
under Captain Whitmore. There were 378 souls on board and this was the 54th
company of Saints embarking for Zion. The Church shipping records show the
Broadhead Party as follows: William age 44, ribbon weaver; Sarah age 49, wife;
Elizabeth, age 18; Eleanor, age 12; Jabez, age 10; Jane, age 17. After setting sail
the ship was beset by adverse winds and was forced to drop anchor in the River
Mercy until the morning of February 2, 1851 when they again set sail. On the 11th
of February the ship cleared the Irish Sea. The company was under the direction
of George D. Watts and meetings were held every Sabbath and on different
occasions during the week. Apostle Orson Pratt and family were part of the
company. During the course of the voyage there were three marriages, four
births and five deaths. One of the deaths being the fifteen month old daughter of
Apostle Orson Pratt. The ship arrived at New Orleans on the 6th of April 1851.
On April 9th most of the company left New Orleans for St. Louis on the
“Alexander Scott,” one of the largest boats on the Mississippi. They arrived in St.
Louis on the 16th of April 1851. Here William and his family remained until the
following spring when they moved on to Council Bluffs, Iowa.
William Broadhead’s only daughter, Elizabeth, was married in March 1852 to
John Title Denton, son of Thomas and Sarah Title Denton. John and Elizabeth,
along with their two daughters, came to Utah several years later and settled in
Nephi, Utah.
On the 9th of June 1853, William and Sarah with their two sons, Robert and Jabez,
left Winter Quarters for Utah in the Daniel A. Miller and the John W., Cooley
Companies. On the 15th of August, John w. Cooley listed the company at the
Swestreater?? (Six-Mile Grove, Iowa or Nebraska according to
http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneercompany/0,15797,4017-1205,00.html), where the names of the four appear, but no wagons, horses, cattle
or sheep are listed for them. They arrived in Salt Lake City on the 9th of
September 1853. This ox train company included the last of the Saints from
Pottawattanie County, Iowa and consisted of 282 souls, 70 wagons, 27 horses, 470
head of cattle and 153 sheep.
On the 24th of October 1855, William and Sarah received their endowments and
were sealed to each other at the Endowment House.
David states that his father, William moved to willow Creek (now Willard,
Utah), in the Box Elder County in 1856, where he secured some land and
commenced to make himself a home. If this were so, Robert must have preceded
his father to Willard, because the account books of Mr. Harding (Phoebe
Hardings father) show where Robert Broadhead received wages for threshing in
1855 and again in 1857.
Robert Broadhead was married on January 1, 1857 to Eliza Clark. There was one
son by this union.
William Broadhead was ordained a High Priest in February 1857 by Alfred
Cordon.
On the 15th of September 1857, Brigham Young, Governor of the Territory of
Utah proclaimed Martial Law. Robert Broadhead was one of the Militia called
up from Willard to help intercept Johnson’s Army. He was released the
following spring.
In May 1858 all the settlers north of Utah County prepared to move South and
have their homes burned in case Johnson’s army invaded Salt Lake Valley. At
the time, William and Sarah and their two sons moved to Nephi, Utah. Later
Robert moved to Heber City as one of the first settlers of that place.
William Broadhead, arriving in Nephi, pulled his wagon on the lot where the
First-Second Ward Chapel now stands. Later he built an adobe house. Here he
made his home and commenced farming, which occupation he followed up to
the time of his death.
Jabez married Eunice Seavy Baxter, daughter of Zimri Harford and Eunice Seavy
Baxter, on the 28th of November 1861. Later he moved to Chicken Creek (now
Levan, Utah) and still later to Aurora, Utah.
David speaks of his father as follows: “He was always ready to do what was
required of him by the Priesthood. He acted as Teacher and afterward was
called to preside over the Teachers’ Quorum. For many years he presided over
the High Priest’s Quorum of Juab Stake, which position he filled up to the time of
his death. He was called to mourn the loss of his wife, Sarah Golding, at Nephi,
on the 22nd of October 1868, age 68 years and 4 months. She was an affectionate
wife and mother. She died as she had lived firm in the faith of the Gospel and in
the hope of a glorious resurrection.”
William Broadhead is reported to have been a small man who never talked
much. His wife, Sarah, is described as being five feet tall, weighing about 140
pounds and having brown hair and dark eyes.
The Belliston family, who lived neighbors to the Broadheads in Nephi, report an
incident of William Broadhead casting out evil spirits. Thomas and James
Belliston and a group of boys were present at the time. They were very much
impressed with the manifestation.
In 1870 William did temple work for his ancestors at the Endowment House. He
was married and sealed on the 4th of May 1867 to Elizabeth Toes Gee (Widow of
William Gee) and also to Ann Sims Painter (widow of William Painter) on the
10th of October 1868. he left a will dated July 7, 1869 in the possession of David
Broadhead. When he became ill just before his death, he realized that he had not
made ample provision for his wives and sent out for one of the brethren to make
a change in his will. He died on the 1st of January 1872 just as the brother arrived
at the home. He was buried at Nephi with his wife, Sarah Golding.
Elizabeth Toes Gee Broadhead died the 4th of July 1886 at Nephi and is buried in
the Vine Bluff Cemetery.
Ann Sims Painter Broadhead went back to Augusta, Maine, where he son,
William Painter lived. She died and is buried in Augusta.
William’s possessions are listed in the Probate Court at Nephi as follows; one
house and lot in Nephi Survey, two garden lots in Nephi Survey, one block of
land in Nephi Survey, one meadow lot of about nine acres situated in Salt Creek
West Meadow Survey, twenty acres of farming land situated in the Nephi Old
Field with water claim, 4 head of horned cattle, 24 sheep, household furniture
and farming implements, two wagons.