(This information from Selma Hazel Harvey and Myrtle Harvey Service)
Ellen Wooten was born July 1st 1850 to William Wooten and Ruth Smuin in Summerless, Buckinghamshire, England. As a young girl she became converted to Mormonism and had a desire to gather with the Saints in Zion. She was encouraged by her mother's sister, Hannah Smuin Harvey and her husband Daniel Harvey, who according to the book "O=Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah" came to Utah Oct. 13th 1863 with the Rosel Hyde Company. They settled Kaysville, Utah.
Ellen and her sister Emma sailed from Liverpool, England in the company of returning missionaries Ellen's obituary in the Deseret News in 1925 states that she came on the first steamship that had brought Mormon Saints across the Atlantic Ocean. A search of the list of ships printed in the book "Our Pioneer Heritage, volume 12" we find that the Minnesota was the first steamship which had been chartered by Mormon men in charge of ocean immigration in 1868,
Elder John Perry was in charge of the 534 saints on board. The Minnesota left Liverpool, England on June 30th and arrived in New York City July 12th. The immigrants crossed the United States by railroad car to Laramie, City, Wyoming arriving July 22, which at this time was the end of the line. They were met by church teams who brought them on to Utah.
To determine which company Ellen traveled with, page 5 Vol. 12, we note the last company to leave Laramie was composed of 272 souls and 39 wagons. Captain William S. Seeley was in charge. They left Laramie August 1st. Four deaths occurred on this trip.
Ellen went to live with her Aunt Hannah and Emma went to live with another family member. When Ellen arrived at her aunts home in Kaysville, polygamy was in full swing. Daniel Harvey had not yet taken a plural wife. We do not know the circumstances that led to Ellen's marriage to her Uncle Daniel, but they were wed in the Salt Lake Endowment House Dec. 17, 1868. Ellen was 18 and Daniel was 30.
Ellen and Daniel had one son, George Wooten Harvey, who was born Jan 8, 1870.
Life was hard. The Harvey family had Mulberry trees on their property and they raised silkworms. Being the 2nd wife had it's disadvantages. The United States Marshalls came trying to catch Mormon men living in polygamy. Daniel tried to keep out of sight, but he was caught and sent to prison for co-habitation. He served six months in the Penitentiary in 1887-1888, and there he contracted consumption.
George was 18 and he and his mother left Kaysville and moved to Cedar Fort, UT where George was employed on the new railway being built to Toplift and Mercur. From then on George cared for his mother. Ellen always worked hard to help sustain them.
They moved to Lehi where George became engaged to a young girl in the community. She died shortly before they were married. After a time he met Mary Rachel Baker, the daughter of James and Permelia Rice Baker. George was 28 and Mary was 18 when they were married in Provo, Utah, Oct. 26, 1896.
Daniel Harvey became steadily ill with consumption (tuberculosis) and his first family put him into a rest home. Ellen didn't agree with this so she and George brought him to their home in Lehi where they cared for him until he died Sept. 15, 1899. The family took him back to Kaysville for burial.
Ellen met and married William Alexander Loveridge, a widower whose family had all grown up and gone. They lived in William's adobe home on 1st south in Lehi, and George was given the lot on the north where he and Mary built a nice frame house. William and Ellen had four years of happiness before he died.
Ellen was very possessive of George. She had leaned on him so long, and George, realizing the hardships she had been through, catered to her wishes. After Mr. Loveridge died, George would go next door every singe night and stay until she went to bed at 9 o'clock. This was quite a trial to Mary because she needed him at home.
From the history written by grand-daughter Myrtle, "Grandmother seemed to resent my mother and us ten children and the part we played in Dad's life. Mother was such a kind tender person. She was hurt many times by grandma's blunt remarks and actions. Mother's health was not too good at times, she had a bad heart condition. We older children were so frightened when she would have an attack, but she got little consideration and sympathy from grandmother, who ever tried to turn us children against our own mother."
Ellen had a nice grape arbor and made her own wine which she always had a small glass with cookies at her evening meal.
Ellen was never idle. When not busy with house and garden work she would crochet. She crocheted a bedspread and curtains for her windows. She always made her own clothes, even her garments, sewing everything by hand. Her everyday dresses were long, with long sleeves and a high neck in a sort of grey color. She always wore a waist form apron. Her "best" dress has a white collar and broach. For cool weather she wore a black velvet cape with braid and beads. This came to her waist. She wore a little black bonnet- hat when she went out.
In her later years she didn't attend church because some presiding authority had offended her along the way.
Ellen enjoyed good health which enabled her to raise flower and vegetable gardens right up to the end. In the spring she always spaded her garden herself. Her rows were straight and the seeds which she had saved herself were planted "just so" to ensure the best yield of vegetables. The irrigation was carefully distributed throughout the row.
Spring was early in 1925. She was working in her garden on a Tuesday morning when she complained of a pain in her side. She didn't take it seriously. Wednesday in became more intense and a doctor was called. She had pnemonia and died Friday morning at the age of 74.
She was a resident of Lehi for 30 years. Funeral services were held in the Lehi First Ward Chapel, April 12, 1925. She was laid to rest in the Lehi Cemetery.
