Bertha Windross' Book

Jean has Grandpa Prigmore's journals. I didn't even know he had any. It would be great if they could be digitized and his posterity have access to them.

Marsha used to have a little beaded purse that belonged to Grandma Prigmore. She is uncertain whether or not she still has it.

Marilyn has a sampler of Elizabeth Smith Prigmore, Grandpa Prigmore's cane and some candlesticks that were wedding gifts of Grandma and Grandpa. Until she gets home from her mission at the Salt Lake Family History Library, she will be unable to provide pictures.

I was straightening a bookcase and came across the following book of daily thoughts that belonged to 'Miss Windross.' It is very old and dirty.

Heirlooms

Grandma Prigmore (Bertha) kept many years' worth of the Relief Society Magazine. She had them bound into books. Mother (Edna) said she couldn't keep or store them all. I selected one for a remembrance of Grandma. The bound magazines are from 1954.

One year for my birthday, Mother (Edna) wrapped up this glass relish tray/candy dish for my birthday. My first thought was that it was rather impractical and I probably wouldn't use it. In my estimation, Tupperware would have been a better choice. Then I saw a little handwritten note that said this was a wedding gift sent to Grandma and Grandpa Prigmore (Charles and Bertha) from relatives in England. Suddenly the value of the pretty dish went up considerably! I still haven't used it, but have it on 'display' in my curio cabinet.

This is a sampler made in the Oakley School in England by my Great Grandmother, Elizabeth Smith Prigmore. She was born in 1845 and it is thought that she made this in the early 1850's. I have always wanted a granddaughter named 'Oakley Elizabeth' in her honor. Unfortunately, none of my daughters chose that name. It is still up for grabs! (Click picture to enlarge and see detail)

I know there are other priceless family momentos out there. We need to have pictures of them to share with other family members. Also, I hope to have many of you author submissions on the blog. We can add you all to the list. Thanks!

Thomas Prigmore

Thomas Prigmore
A Brief History
Written by son, Charles H. Prigmore


Date of Birth: May 1839
Place of Birth: Felmersham, Bedfordshire, England
Parents: Ann Saunders and Dickens Prigmore
Spouse: Elizabeth Smith
Date of Marriage: 12 October 1882
Child: Charles Henry Prigmore
Date of Death: 7 July 1896

My father was in the British Army before he married. He was never at war but was a guard in the British colonies in India. After he left the service he married and lived at Oakley, Bedfordshire, England. He was employed on an estate owned by the Duke of Bedford. He had some kind of disagreement with the foreman of the estate, and as all the homes were owned by the Duke of Bedford, Father had to move from Oakley to Milton Ernest, a village about 2 ½ miles from Oakley. I was about 10 months old when we moved. Father was employed by farmers part of the time and part of the time he worked for himself. He used to earn money gathering mushrooms, water cress, getting violets and many other wildflowers and taking them into Bedford where the wealthy people would buy them like hotcakes. He had a pension from the British government which kept us going financially. His money from the government came through the mail every 3 months. I well remember the envelope in the mail for on the top was “On Her Majesty’s Service.” (Queen Victoria was queen at the time) I looked forward to these envelopes as Father used to hire a horse and trap (as we used to call it in England). It was a real treat to go to Bedford in a horse and trap and to eat in the restaurant, go to the grocery and clothing store, and sometimes to the store for tools to work with. I always got candies, nuts and oranges.

When Father got sick I remember the doctor coming and telling Father to have patience. Dr. Hicks said he was doing all he could for Father. I remember at times Father had to struggle to get his breath, and Mother would try to help him. I used to go to Sharnbrook to the doctor’s office for medicine. The doctor used to make up the medicine himself. We did not go to the drug store or the chemist shop as it was called in England. If we wanted a doctor in a hurry we just had to go in person to get him as there was no telephone. My father died when I was 12 years old. I do not know what caused my father’s death, but Mother used to think it was the Indian climate that had a lot to do with it.

Sarah Alice Booth Windross

Sarah Alice Booth Windross
A brief history of her life
written by Granddaughter, Edna P. Milligan


Date of Birth: 16 January 1851
Place: Harwood, Bolton, England
Parents: John and Elizabeth Crook Booth
Spouse: James Lowe Windross
Date of Marriage: 1878
Children: Bertha and Rose lived, Ethel died at 7, and three others died in infancy
Died: 28 February 1894


Sarah Alice Booth was the eldest of eight children born to John and Elizabeth C. Booth. Her father died young and her mother married Robert Prestwick about a year after the death of her father. Since Sarah Alice was the eldest child of a large family, she had many responsibilities caring for younger children and household chores. According to the youngest child in the family, Ann Ellen Prestwick, they were a close knit family and along with aunts, uncles and cousins they had many family gatherings and their mother cooked in large quantities.

At age 27 she married James Lowe Windross. At this time in the history of England the economic conditions were poor. However, her husband James worked hard at various types of employment to support his family.

Sarah Alice, no doubt, had poor health and difficult pregnancies and much sorrow and disappointment as she lost four of her six children. Three died as infants and one at age seven years. Sarah Alice died at age 43.

James Smith

James Smith
Information taken from family group sheets and
words written by his grandson, Charles Prigmore


Date of Birth: June 1800
Place of Birth: Oakley Bedfordshire, England
Parents: Mary Griggs and Thomas Smith
Spouse: Elizabeth Craddock
Date of Marriage: 2 Mar 1824
Children: 1 – Samuel Smith
2 – Ann Smith
3 – John Smith
4 – George Smith
5 – Fanny Smith
6 – James Smith
7 – Mary Smith
8 – Lucy Smith
9 – Elizabeth Smith
#3 John, #4 George and #5 Fanny died as very young children but the rest lived to adulthood. #6 James was the uncle who was very close to Charles Prigmore. He was instrumental in getting Charles to come to Utah. #9 Elizabeth is the mother of Charles Prigmore, so is the one from whom we descend.
Died: 7 Feb 1884


My grandfather, James Smith, joined the church known as the Bunyan Meeting. By what Mother told me, Grandfather was a good man, and had he known of the restored gospel I am sure he would have embraced it. He was anxious to go to the Bunyan meetings. As his work involved looking after cows, he had to do some Sunday work. Mother said that on Sunday morning he would milk and feed the cows, clean up the cow shed, come home, eat breakfast, clean himself up, change his work clothes into his Sunday best, walk all the way into Bedford taking his lunch with him, and go to his meetings morning and afternoon. Then he would walk back, change his clothes, milk the cows, come home, clean up again, and go to a cottage meeting. After the cottage meeting he would come home, read the Bible, have family prayer, and then go to bed. He was a good grandfather; I should have liked to have known him. Perhaps I will meet him on the other side.

James Lowe Windross

James Lowe Windross
A brief history
written by granddaughter Edna P. Milligan


Date of Birth: 30 March 1855
Place of Birth: Bolton Lancashire England
Parents: David and Ann Lowe Windross
Spouse: Sarah Alice Booth
Date of Marriage: 1878
Children: Six, Bertha and Rose lived, Ethel died at 7, and three died as infants
Death: 03 January 1940

James Lowe Windross was a self-educated man. My mother, Bertha Windross, had great respect and was proud of his accomplishments. He was a very active member of the Wesleyan Methodist Church and was a local preacher. He had a good singing voice and at one time he taught piano lessons.

His main work and the work he enjoyed was writing articles for a newspaper. He wrote about the poor working conditions in the cotton mills and factories. He once wrote a book called “The Darkest Bolton.”

He wrote poems about nature, about friends, relatives and grandchildren. He could type and write shorthand. He worked in his community trying to improve the plight of the down-trodden, poor, and unfortunate in slum areas. He had great compassion for those in need.

He was the only living grandparent by the time any of his grandchildren were born. Grandpa Windross lived all his life in England. Because of his letters, we Prigmore grandchildren in the United States felt like we knew him even though we never saw him.

Elizabeth Smith Prigmore

Elizabeth Smith Prigmore
A Brief Sketch of My Mother
By Charles Henry Prigmore


Date of Birth: 22 December 1845
Place of Birth: Oakley, Bedfordshire, England
Parents: Elizabeth Craddock and James Smith
Spouse: Thomas Prigmore
Date of Marriage: 12 October 1882
Child: Charles Henry Prigmore
Date of Death: 14 April 1903

Mother was born in Oakley Bedfordshire, England. Her Father, James Smith, was a religious man who read the Bible and believed in family prayers. Mother belonged to the Wesleyan Methodist Church. She liked her religion, the best she knew, and she saw to it that I went to my church meetings and we studied the Bible. I learned to pray at mother’s knee. This was a stepping stone to the true and everlasting gospel. Prayer was a safeguard as I got older. I am sure mother would have accepted the gospel, as we know it, had she had the opportunity while living. However the work has been done for her. What a kind Heavenly Father we have in giving those who did not have a chance in this life to hear the gospel, the opportunity in the spirit world. Oh what a plan this is! Our Heavenly Father does not want to lose one of His children.

Mother did not marry until late in life because of her bedridden mother. Her mother could not dress herself and needed much attention. My mother made a living making pillow lace and always had a market for her lace. She liked to sell to the wealthy people in Milton, Oakley or Bidnam and other villages ‘round about. If she couldn’t sell it there, she could always sell her lace at the stores, but she did not get as good a price.

My mother was widowed when I was 12 years old and she died when I was 19 years old.