Robert Walton Burton's Wives

Elizabeth Marriott

Elizabeth Marriott, daughter of John Marriott and Francis Parris, was born at Colmworth, Bedford, England, 17 September 1822. She joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and came to America with her brother and sister-in-law, Susan Folk Marriott, arriving in Nauvoo on the 12 April 1843. Robert Burton, with his wife Ann Tatham Burton, and nephew Robert Walton Burton, were also with the band of 312 saints who had passage on the ship "Swanton" under the leadership of Lorenzo Snow.

Elizabeth married Robert Walton Burton in Nauvoo on February 6, 1845. Their lives were filled with many hardships and trials. Soon after their baby Isabelle was born, 5 March 1846, they were forced to leave Nauvoo because of mob violence, and started their long trek westward. Baby Isabelle died 7th or 17th of November 1846 and was buried in the same grave as Ann Tatham Burton, who had died at the same time. At Council Bluffs, where Robert W. stayed for a time by assignment from Brigham Young because he was a wheelwright and blacksmith, to help prepare the wagons for the traveling saints, two other children were born and died : Robert James, born 3 Feb. 1848 and died 13 Sept. 1849; and James, born 14 March 1851 and died 10 May 1851.

Elizabeth drove a horse and a cow as a team, pulling a wagon across the plains.

After settling in Kaysville four more children were born to them : Elizabeth, William Parrish, Eliza and Vollice.

William was only three years old when the family moved south at the time of the Johnson Army. Then the returned they found that Indians had occupied their home, using the wooden floor for fire wood and had turned their horses to feed in the wheat field.

While Robert was at Echo Canyon in defense of the Mormons when the Johnson Army came into Fort Bridger, Elizabeth got a letter from him which gave her comfort when little William was sick. It told her that the Lord would protect her during his absence, and that she would have the power to rebuke the destroyer from their home.

Elizabeth died in Kaysville, 18 of February 1879.

Mary Ann Mathews

Mary Ann Mathews, the second wife of Robert Walton Burton, was born on the 22 of September 1851, at Upper Caldicote, Northill, Bedfordshire, England. Her parents were Jeremiah Matthews (in the copy I have, Jeremiah's Matthew is spelled with 2 t's but Mary Ann's is spelled with 1) and Ann Martin.

She joined the church in 1860 in England, coming to Utah with her sister Elizabeth in 1869 on the first train to come to Utah. They arrived in Ogden, on May 10th, at the Union Pacific Station which was a small building, where the pioneers had paid their tithing. They went to Kaysville where their sister, Sarah Moss, lived.

For a time, Mary Ann stayed with her cousin, Bishop Layton, and worked for some of his wives.

After she married Robert Burton, on the 9th of May 1870, in Salt Lake City, in the Endowment House, her home was on the corner of 1st South and 3rd East in Kaysville, on what was called the 'new survey'. Mary Ann helped homestead some land in Davis county. Robert worked in the blacksmith shop in Kaysville during the week and came to the homestead on weekends. The homestead land was close to Bishop Layton's farm. Mother loved Rachel Layton, who was so good to her when the Indians came and wanted grain, and wanted her to lift it. (Rachel married James Warren). Her daughter Sarah Ellen was born while they lived on the homestead. There were spiders, scorpions and reptiles on the homestead which frightened them. She was always glad to return to Kaysville, where they lived in the winter.

One day a man came to Kaysville selling apple peelers. When she was a girl in England she had worked in a factory peeling onions for 25 cents a day. She told the salesman that she could peel faster by hand than he could with his peeler, and she beat him to prove it. She did not buy the apple peeler.

Robert Burton was twenty-five years older than his wife, Mary Ann. One day her youngest daughter Lillian asked, "Mother, why did you marry Father, when he was so much older than you ?" She said, "Well, he came to church neat and clean and always had his shoes polished. I thought he could take care of me and we would have a happy home." Which they did. Robert Burton was a good husband. He was fair and kind. If he bought one wife a chair or a table, the other wife got one too.

When Elizabeth Marriott Burton passed away, Mary Ann moved into the home with her family, and cared for Elizabeth's children who were still at home. Vollice and Rosella loved each other very much.

Four children of Elizabeth's and twelve of Mary Ann's were raised in this home which Robert Burton built in Kaysville. It was still in good condition in 1967 when this was written.

Mary Ann was a wonderful wife and mother. She was a quiet person, but always had a cheerful smile and a happy greeting for all.

After Robert died in 1905 she moved to Ogden, Utah, where she lived in the 1st and 11th Wards. She died June 7, 1922, and was buried in the Kaysville Cemetery.

Written and contributed by Lillian Burton Arnold
268 15th Street, Ogden Utah