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The Crowther family is quite musical. Thomas James Crowther was in the first band and orchestra and was leader of both for many years. His son Clifford has taken his place as leader of both. George Crowther has had sons, grandsons and great grandsons in both band and orchestra from there beginning. The present band has three grandsons and three-great grandsons.
George Crowther the son of John Crowther and ----- was born November 18, 1826, in Dorley or lronbridge near London, England. (In given as his birth place in his endowment record, is not mentioned on the maps and gazetteers of the British Isles: but lronbridge, given as his birth place in his sealing record, is an ecclesiastical district or Parish belonging to Madeley in Shropshire, England. There was a great iron bridge built across the river. Severn in 1779 and part of the Parish took the name of lronbridge from the stupendous undertaking.) There is little known about his father john Crowther or his mother and their family. The most definite information we have of them is given in a letter received from Richard Crowther, written, on September 30, 1888. We reprint the letter in full: Pontnewydd Near Newport, September 30, 1888
My Dear Brother:
I hope this will reach you as I have been trying to get your address for many years. I got this through one of the saints that are here on a mission. Now if you are my brother I hope that you will write as soon as you get this for I am the only brother left. They have all gone to their long home. There are two sisters left, Jane and Ann; that is all. The last I heard from them they were well. If this finds you, I will send you all the news in my next letter but it is useless to write someone else all that I want to say to you. But as regards myself I may say that the Lord has blessed me with health so far, for which I thank him, though I have seen some ups and downs through life up to now. I have, through God’s help, overcome them and at the present time I can say that hitherto the Lord has helped me. If you are George Crowther the son of John Crowther of the Parish of Madeley, Shropshire, England, I am your youngest brother Richard Crowther. And now I hope that I shall not be disappointed and that you are my brother. Hoping that you are alive and well and that your wife and children are well. If I don’t see you again on earth I hope to meet you in Heaven with those that are gone before. I will not say any more now but in my next I will tell you all. Believe me, your affectionate brother, R. Crowther Pontnewydd Near Newport, Mammouthshire, England.
P.S. If this should go to the wrong address if you know more Crowthers, please try to let them have it. There was considerable correspondence carried on over a period of years, but the letter quoted is the only one we can find. This letter was found among some of the things that were being sorted over years after the death of George Crowther. George received an average education for the time in which he lived in England. As a young man he became interested in the mining industry, later on he went to Scotland to work in the mines. His education and religious training gave him a keen insight to the real values of life. He was blessed with a sense or consciousness when danger was near, for many times when at work or while eating dinner with the other miners he would get up or move from where he was sitting or working and say to the other men, "I feel like something is going to happen and we had better move from this place. "Many times they had just moved a short distance when the roof of the room or a large rock would fall and cover the lace where they had been. He went to Kilberney, Scotland, to work, as this was a mining center as well as a manufacturing center for textiles. While here he boarded with a family by the name of Piper. The Pipers were friends of the Wiley’s. It was here that he met and became acquainted with Janet Wiley, who later became his wife. Janet Wiley was born October 29, 1825, at Kilberney, Ayshire, Scotland. She was the daughter of William Wiley and Janet Fife Wiley. Her education was limited to what she got before she went to work in the factory and the studying she did when off work. She went to work in the textile factory at a very early age and continued until she was married. For a more detailed sketch of Janet's life is quoted in a sketch that was written by Mrs. Elizabeth Crawford Munk, a friend of the family. Across the ocean in Scotland in the city of Kilberney, a little girl was born on the 29th of October 1825. She had very dark brown hair (almost black), blue eyes and was a little under average in height. As a child she was very alert, nothing escaped her quick perception, whether it was in her play with the children or listening to her elders in their conversation. She was also a very patient child keeping all her troubles to herself. In her early life she was a lover of the story of Christ and, therefore, learned to ask him for help. Janet learned to fight her own battles in a quiet way. She went to work in the factory at the age of eight and worked there until she married. Her father, William Wiley, was a devoted Christian. The family belonged to the good old Presbyterian Church, which was founded by John Knox. His motto was, "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom." John was one of the early reformers who taught the people entirely upon what the priests and Pope taught them. Janet came home one night and told her people about a new doctrine that was being taught. Her father told her that he had had the right to investigate the Scriptures and choose the way he could get the greatest light.” So now Janet, I am not going to stand in the way of any of my children having the same privilege." The mother could not at first be persuaded to listen.
Soon her elder sister Barbara accompanied her to one of these meetings to hear this new doctrine. Janet was only about sixteen at this time, but she led the rest of the family to try to understand this new doctrine or new gospel plan. To her it seemed to open up something broader and gave her a clearer understanding of the plan of salvation. Together the two sisters would tell their father the differences in the points of doctrine as the following: "He said tonight, father, ' A man must be called of God by prophecy and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority to preach the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.’ This he proved by the Scriptures"
It was not long until their father became interested and would go to hear the Mormon Elders, for they were the men whom Janet had found and listened to. She became convinced that this was a broader explanation of the Scriptures than she had ever heard and she joined at the age of sixteen. She was baptized on the 23rd of December 1841.
Parley P. Pratt opened this branch of the church it was not long until her father and sister were baptized
Brother Wiley was a man of strong willpower that is he was not led easily one way or the other. He took his time to investigate and when he became satisfied that this was a revelation from heaven he studied all the principles thoroughly. Their doctrine of faith was especially interesting to him. Faith is a principle of power. One day when he was brought home on a stretcher from work, with his leg very badly broken he asked for the Elders to come and administer to him. He had such great faith that after they had administered to him he could move his foot. Shortly after his wife joined the church.
Janet was a faithful member of the faith and attended all the meetings whenever it was possible for her to go. Some time after she had joined, at one of the meetings Janet was introduced to a fine, young English boy who had come to work in the mines of Kilburney. This being a coal district as well as a manufacturing town. This boy, George Crowther, had joined the Mormons before coming here. They became attached to each other and when Janet was twenty years old they were married. They lived in Scotland until their first child, Robena, was born.
Their daughter, Robena, was born January 5, 1850, and during the summer of 1850 they left Scotland and came to the United States. They crossed the ocean in a sailboat and landed in New Orleans that fall. They went up the Mississippi River and joined the saints at St. Louis, Missouri. While they were living in St. Louis their son John William was born (1851). They moved to Alton, Illinois, in the early part of 1852. Soon after they moved their son John William died. In 1853 their son James was born and he died in 1854 or 1855. From the material we have, the date is indefinite. Their daughter Catherine was born March 11, 1856, at Alton, Illinois.
About this time Israel Evans was organizing a Hand Cart company of saints to make the trip to Utah. After a great deal of thinking and counseling they decided to join this company. They hesitated to make the trip on account of Janet's physical condition. She had been sick for a long time, finally one morning she said; "George we will go to Utah with Israel Evans and his Hand Cart Company." George told her she was too weak to start on the trip, and her reply to this was; "I will die if we stay here and if we go I will get well." This settled all arguing or hesitancy and they began planning in earnest for the trip.
They left the gathering place of Israel Evans' Hand Cart Company near Alton, Illinois, in June, 1857 and started the long trip across the plains to Salt Lake City. The road was long and rough and sandy, up and down hills, through the hot sun, the wind and rain storms. The company left some of its members in graves along the road, but Janet Crowther's health began to improve when they started and she made the trip to Salt Lake City in good physical condition. Catherine was fifteen months old and had to be hauled in the cart all the way and Robena who was only seven years old walked as much of the way as she could stand. Through all these months they marched forward and landed in Salt Lake City, September 12, 1857. They were the last of Israel Evans' Hand Cart Company consisting of 154 people and thirty-one handcarts.
They arrived just ahead of the Johnston Army, which, because of falsehoods and misrepresentations, had been sent by the Government to suppress the supposed to be, unlawful activities of the Mormons.
One week after they arrived in Salt Lake City, President Brigham Young called George to go on guard against the army of Colonel Johnston. He left his wife and babies and went on guard in Echo Canyon. The guard selected several points in front of the army and marched around and around before them. They passed in view with coats on; then with them off; then turned inside out, and in numerous ways they disguised themselves in order to make it appear that they had many more men than they really had.
While this was going on the church made what in Mormon History is known as the "Big Move." The Mormon families packed up all their belongings, gathered their flocks, and left Salt Lake City for the valleys to the south. A few men were left in Salt Lake City to kindle the straw that was left in the houses in case the army did not keep its promise to Brigham Young to march through the city south to the Jordan Narrows.
Janet Crowther and her two little girls were moved to Payson. After the guard was disbanded it took George two weeks of constant searching to find his wife and family. They lived in Payson for some time and while there their daughter Elizabeth was born August 15, 1858.
They moved from Payson to Wales, Sanpete Co., Utah, in 1860. George worked in the coalmines there and did some farming and took an active part in the community activities. Their daughter Sarah was born there May 22, 1861. Their son George Jr., was born April 13, 1863 at Wales. In 1 863 they moved to Moroni. They were no more than settled there when they were called by President Young, to go to Sevier Co., to help colonize that section. They went to Monroe where, two weeks later, May 14, 1864, their son William John was born. In this place farming and guarding against the Indians was the principal occupation. Three years later, , 1867, they were called away from Monroe on account of the Indian War. This was the Black Hawk Indian War.
George Crowther, Bishop Olsen and Walter Barney went to Spring City to see Orson Hyde about moving from Monroe. The day they were to return to Monroe, the Indians made an attack on the community. There was great fear for their safety, but it so happened that a Mr. Readhead at Richfield had insisted that they stay at his home over night. This they did against their wishes as they felt that they should get home as quickly as possible. If they had not listened to Mr. Readhead it is quite possible that the Indians would have killed them, because the attack was on at the very time they would have been on the road.
Through most of the Indian troubles George was a minuteman. Besides driving the pony express he was called to guard against the Indians at nights and times when not on his regular trips. During this time of colonization and Indian trouble food was scarce. The principal articles of food during the spring and summer were thistles, mustard greens, sego roots or bulbs and mushrooms. The children gathered most of this. Janet and her children would pick, card and spin the wool and weave it into cloth for their clothing. The longer fibers were selected and twisted into thread to sew the clothing, this was usually the job for Catherine as she was very quick and had nimble fingers. The worn out clothing was cut into strips and woven into carpets and rugs. They moved from Monroe to Manti where they stayed two months and then moved to Fountain Green where they made their home permanently. Like all other pioneer families they had a few sheep. Janet and the girls washed the wool, picked and carded it in rolls and wove it. One fall Janet wanted to make cloth for a suit for George and she wanted it extra nice so she colored some of the wool red, then took a portion of black and white. The three colors were mixed in the picking, which made it a dark rich color when woven. George was always proud of this suit. Janet and her daughter Catherine, now Mrs. Hans P. Larsen, made forty yards of jeans one winter. Catherine carded all this wool in rolls by hand. Janet was always busy either with helping and cheering the sick or those in trouble.
October 10, 1868, Thomas James was born at Fountain Green from this date on the family engaged in farming and stock rising. They were early pioneers in Utah. It was people like them that made possible the wonderful conditions we have in Utah today.
The last few years of George's life were made miserable by the affliction of asthma. He died April 16, 1895 at Fountain Green, Utah.
Janet Wiley Crowther lived nine years longer and was very active to the last. When the children would come to visit with her, she would be busy at her loom, and they would say, "Mother, you do not need to be working like this all the time." She would smile and say; "better wear out than to rust out." And when God called her she left a piece of carpet in the loom not quite finished. She was active to within a few days of her death which came December 22, 1 904 at her home in Fountain Green, Utah.
Janet was in word and deed a Pioneer Mother, and when we say a Pioneer Mother it stands for all that is praiseworthy, honest, benevolent, courageous, strong of heart and hand. All she asked in return was a clasp of the human hand. She died as she had lived, a true Latter-day Saint. Thus closed the activities of George Crowther and his beloved wife Janet Wiley Crowther. Only those who know pioneer life can appreciate the trials and hardships they went through. In addition there were the extreme dryness of the Utah desert, the Indian troubles, and the falsehoods and misrepresentations, which caused the Church and all its members many worries and heartache. The solving of these problems of life by these pioneers was an outstanding achievement and the world stands indebted to them. When trials were harder they worked harder and when they became almost unbearable they would sing, "Come, Come Ye Saints No Toil Or Labor Fear." In closing this short account, allow me to say: They died as they had lived, true and loyal to their country, they’re church and their high standards of life. The examples and memories they left for their children and grandchildren can never be forgotten and will ever be an incentive to a higher and cleaner life. Since writing this sketch the writer made a trip to Monroe, Sevier Co., Utah and on a monument erected to honor the pioneers he was glad to see, among others, the name of George Crowther on the large bronze plate.
George Crowther, the son of John Crowther and Elizabeth Jones. Was born November the 18, 1826, in Dorley or Ironbridge near London, England (In searching the genealogical records we can find, Dorley given as his birth place in his endowment record. It is not mentioned on the maps and gazetteers of the British Isles. But fronbridge, given as birthplace in his sealing record. Is an ecclesial district or Parish belonging to Madeley in Shropshire, England? There was a great Iron Bridge built across the river Sevem in 1779 and part of the Parish took the name of Ironbridge from the stupendous undertaking. There is little known about his Father John Crowther or his Mother and their family. The most definite information we have of them is given in a letter received from Richard Crowther written on September 30, 1888, Pontnewydd Near Newport.
September 30, 1888 My Dear Brother; I hope this will reach you as I have been trying to get your address for many years, I got this through one of the Saints that is here on a mission, Now if you are my Brother, I hope that you will write as soon as you get this letter, for I am the only brother left. They have all gone to their long home. There are two sister left. Jane and Anr4 that is all. The last I heard from them they were well. If this finds you, I will send you all the news in my next letter, but it is useless to write someone else all that I want to say to you. But as regards myself, I may say that the Lord has blessed me with health so far, for which I thank him through I have seen ups and downs through life up to now, I have through God's help overcome them and at the present time, I can say that hitherto the Lord has blessed me. If you are George Crowther the son of John Crowther, of the Parish of Medeley, Shorpshire, England, I am you youngest brother Richard Crowther. And now I hope that I shall not be disappointed and that you are my brother, hoping that you are alive and well and that your wife and children are well. If I don't see you again on earth, I hope to meet you in Heaven with those that are gone before. I will not say anymore now, but in my next, I will I will tell you all. Believe me, your affectionate brother. Richard Crowther Pontnewydd Near NewpoM Marnmouthshire, England P.S, if this should go to the wrong address, if you know more Crowthers, please try to let them have it.
There was considerable correspondence carried over a period of years, but the letter quoted is the only one we can find, this letter was found among some of the things that were being sorted over the years after the death of George Crowther. George received an average education for the time in which he lived in England. As a young man he became interested in the mining industry, Later he went to Scotland to work in the mines. His education and religious tra' ' gave him keen insight to the real values of life, He was blessed with a since of consciousness when danger was near, for many times when at work or while eating dinner with the other miners, he would get up or move from where he was sitting or working. And say to the other men, "I feel like something is going to happen and we had better move from this place. " Many times they had just moved a short distance when the roof of the room or large rock would fall and cover the place where they had been. He went to Mbemey, Scotland, to work, as this was a mining center as well as a manufacturing center for textiles. While there he boarded with a family by the name of Piper. The Pipers were friends of the Wiley's. It was here that he met and became acquainted with Janet Wiley, who later became his wife.
