Eliza Ann Russell Caldwell
Is Laid at Final Rest
Deseret Evening News Saturday April 19, 1919
Eliza Ann Russell Caldwell was born in Cleveland, Ohio, Feb 11, 1840, and died in Salt Lake City April 8, 1919. Her father, William Russell was English by birth, but was for many years captain of vessels sailing the Great Lakes. Her mother, Louisa Russell, was a French woman, who shortly after her graduation from a Canadian convent for girls, was married to William Russell in Ohio.
Eliza was the older of two children, being two years older than her brother George. When she was six years old her mother died, and sometime later her father married again. It was with her father and her step-mother and their family that Eliza crossed the plains when she was twelve years old. She experienced all the adventures attendant upon traveling by ox-team and walking over many miles of the old pioneer trail. She reached Salt Lake when the city was only five years old.
With her father's family, she was one of the first settlers of Taylorsville, but within a year or two moved to St. John, Tooele County. Being in the very outskirts of a pioneer land she knew what it was to card and spin and color wool to make clothes for her father's large family and later for her own. She had all the experience of sewing by the glare of the great open fire, and later by the light of the home-made tallow dip and tallow candle. She owned the first "oil lamp" and also the first organ that ever came into Rush Valley. Her experiences with the Indians were both amusing and exciting. It was one of her chief delights in her late life to entertain her family with Indian stories and old pioneer songs.
She was married on Feb. 16, 1858 to Isaac James Caldwell. They had 10 children, five of whom passed into the "Great Beyond" before her time. For many years she, with her husband and family, lived in Tooele city, but in 1891 moved to Salt Lake City. A few months after she came to Salt Lake City, her husband died at the age of 59 years.
Up to the time of her living in Salt Lake City, Mrs. Caldwell was an active worker in the various organizations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She gave her longest service to the children in Primary work. Always she and her husband took great pleasure in throwing their home open for the entertainment of visitors to their home town. In their old home they were known as "Aunt Eliza" and "Uncle Jim" to young and old. It is not unusual today to meet even Indians whom they have known and fed, and who refer to them as "Aunt Eliza" and "Uncle Jim."
Mrs. Caldwell passed through the hardships of the grasshopper war and was one of those who participated in "the move south" at the time of Johnson's army.
The body was taken to Tooele for interment.
Funeral Services.
Simple but impressive funeral services for Mrs. Eliza A. Russell Caldwell, who died Tuesday, were held Wednesday at the family residence, 453 Fourth Avenue. Bishop C.C. Nelson of the Twentieth ward officiated and was one of the speakers. A.J. Stookey of the Tooele stake presidency spoke of the noble attributes of the deceased and her late husband Isaac James Caldwell. Pres. Nephi L. Morris of Salt Lake stake discoursed eloquently on the promises of the gospel and the reality of the resurrection.
Music was furnished by Miss Margaret Summerhays and the Twentieth ward quartet, accompanied by Jennie Romney Crawford, the selections being "Tho' Deep'ning Trails," "What Voice Salutes the Startled Ear," "Who Are These Arrayed in White?" (solo), and "Rest on the Hillside, Rest." C.C. Cornwall offered the opening prayer and George F. Gibbs pronounced the benediction. The casket and floral offerings were beautiful.
Mrs. Caldwell was born Feb 11, 1840 in Cleveland Ohio, and crossed the plains when 12 years of age locating in Tooele, where for many years she was an active worker in the Primary association and Relief Society. She was the mother of 10 children and is survived by the following: George, Richard Elmer, Emily Caldwell Adams, Elizabeth and Margaret; also 23 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
The body was taken to Tooele for interment, with brief serviced to be held at the grave.
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The article and photograph were contributed by John Caldwell of Tooele, Utah, her great grandson & I thank him ever so greatly.
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