In order to really know Sarah McKee Davis we must go back a century and more in years, to the State of Pennsylvaniayes, even farther back than that to the Parish of Country Down in Old Ireland.

America. In the very dawn of U. S. history it must have been, because Sarah McKee was born September 22nd, 1799. Some number of years must have elapsed between the coming of the McKee brothers and the birth of Sarah, whose father was one of those brothers. We like to fancy how he built his little home after a few years spent in getting his large farm under at least partial cultivation, and so while we do not know the exact date, I feel secure in stating that her paternal ancestors were among the founders of this country. Her father's name was Joseph. Her MotherÕs name was Jane Young, daughter of Alexander and Margaret Anne Porter Young.ÊTradition has it that her people were of the German Pennsylvania Dutch descent, but whether they were from the Dutch colonies in New York or from the German colonies of Pennsylvania, we do not know; but, judging from a description given of the New York Dutch by one historian, I conclude that they were pure Dutch.ÊThe characteristics he ascribed to those people were the exact counterpart of those possessed by Sarah McKee.ÊHe said, ÒThey acquired a fame as wide as the world for the noble virtue of honesty, defenders of the right; they were brave, bold and plain spoken.ÊThey were peaceful and were justly celebrated for their moral and domestic virtues from both nationalities.

Having established her ancestry let us get a picture of the home of her birth, childhood and youth.ÊIt was situated at Cochran Mills, a little farming community just eight miles out from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.ÊIt was just a humble home but a prosperous, happy one judging from the description she gave of it in later life, especially of the little log millhouse which was built to contain the pan of milk, the cream and the rolls of sweet butter and cheese.ÊHer people used to take their produce in to Pittsburgh for sale.ÊShe often told of going to dances on horseback where no doubt she was the ÒBelle of the ballÓ as she was a very attractive girl with beautiful black hair and sparkling brown eyes.ÊHer voice was sweet and clear as she sang in later years Irish lullabies and old ballads.ÊOne song she often sang was ÒThe Wearing of the Green.Ó Ê

She was a small, frail-looking girl weighing less than a hundred pounds, and was about five feet in height.ÊShe was married to William Davis of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania on October 3rd, 1822 when she was twenty-three years old.ÊTen children were born to them.ÊMost of them were born in Pennsylvania or at least before the DavisÕ came to Utah.ÊShe and her husband joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and endured the persecutions heaped upon them prior to and during their exodus from Missouri. Ê

In 1848 she and her husband came to Utah in President Lorenzo SnowÕs company.ÊThey remained in Salt Lake City until March 11th, 1851 when they came to Box Elder County in answer to a call from President Brigham Young.ÊIt must have been a lonely journey for the little company of eight or ten people to travel in prairie schooners, sixty miles beyond civilization and settle in a land covered with bunch grass and greasewood with here and there clumps of trees and underbrush bordering the streams.ÊThe Davis Company built three log cabins, which were joined together in fort fashion as a protection against the Indians.ÊIt was located down near what was called ReederÕs Grove.ÊLater in 1851 the DavisÕs were joined by the Jamison and Carter families, who added three more log cabins to form part of an enclosure.ÊThis was thereafter known as the Davis Fort.ÊIn July of 1853 they moved into the old fort located between what is now known as 1st and 2nd West and 2nd and 3rd North.ÊMrs. DavisÕs life was a busy one because she, like all the other pioneer women, helped to shear sheep, wash, pick, card and spin the wool into yarn, then color it and weave it into cloth from which she made clothing and bedding for her family.ÊShe had spun linen in her childhood home so she was adept in helping other women.ÊHowever, Mrs. DavisÕs family was growing smaller.ÊThe four oldest children werenÕt married.ÊDavid, Eleanor, Joseph and Sarah Bell were the four.ÊOn December 25th, 1853 Margaret married Elisha Grenard.ÊThis was one of the first marriages solemnized in Box Elder.ÊOn March 2nd, 1856 James married Susannah Clapper, thus leaving only one child at home. Ê

Now, Mrs. Davis began in real earnest the work which gave her the beloved title of ÒGrandma Davis.ÓÊAs a girl in her Pennsylvania home she had gained valuable knowledge through assisting her father, who was a skilled physician and surgeon.ÊThe training she received under his direction, combined with her sincere faith in God, caused her services to be sought for all classes of people.ÊThousands of babies were brought into existence and their mothers received loving care from her.ÊHer services were graciously and willingly given to all in time of sickness and death.ÊShe went by day or night in any kind of conveyance available regardless of cold or storms.ÊAt one time en route on an errand of mercy Grandmother was thrown from the moving vehicle in which she was riding and was seriously injured, sustaining several broken bones.ÊShe was miraculously healed and her life was spared to continue her labors among the sick.ÊShe was interviewed by the famous eastern surgeon, Dr. John S. Ormsby, who said he wished to learn her way of setting broken bones and the methods used in healing.ÊShe attributed her phenomenal success to her great faith in God, never leaving her home to attend the sick without supplicating the Lord in humble prayer.

Ê Many incidents of almost unbelievable healing could be related.ÊOne remarkable occurrence which has been told many times and was a puzzle to learned surgeons was when her grandson, Charles Forsgren, son of her daughter Sarah, was working on an old-fashioned threshing machine drawn by twelve horses.ÊHis foot slipped and he fell into the cogwheel of the machine.ÊBefore the horses could be halted, his foot had been crushed and the bones were mashed and broken.ÊGrandmother set the bones, bandaged the foot and applied sugar of lead, iced to prevent infection.ÊThe foot healed perfectly, every bone in place, and health restored as if by magic.ÊFor many years she made no charge for her services, accepting anything people offered her.ÊLater she charged a three-dollar fee.ÊShe not only cared for her patient, but if the patient lived some distance away, she stayed two or three days or until she deemed it safe to leave the mother and baby to the chance care of friends and neighbors.ÊShe prescribed for sick children and adults, set broken bones and scattered cheer and comfort wherever she went. Ê

A remarkable testimony was given to my grandmother just before she left her home in Nauvoo to go with the Saints to Utah, which I will relate in her own words.ÊÒBefore we left Nauvoo, a mob of men came to our house at twelve oÕclock claiming they would burn it down over our heads.ÊWe put two changes of clothing on each of the children, my husband, and myself and in order to take some bedding with us, the bedding was placed on the back of an old cow, all of our horses having been stolen.ÊA few hours before the time set for us to vacate our house, I became violently ill and unable to go.ÊI begged my husband to take the children and go and leave me as I feared for their lives.ÊThey refused to go without me.ÊPresently the children slept, then my husband and I also fell into a deep sleep.ÊWhen I awakened the sun was shining brightly and I was healed of my sickness.ÊWe evacuated our home and later found that had we started at the appointed time we would have encountered the mob and probably would have been murdered as were others who met them.ÓÊThe life of Sarah McKee Davis was preserved that she might live to fulfill her destiny among suffering humanity.ÊGod watched over her in time of danger.

Ê In her home in Pennsylvania, one morning the family was kneeling in prayer.ÊAunt Elle (Eleanor Jane), a child of five years exclaimed, ÒFather the Lord says prophesy.ÓÊHer father said, ÒThen go ahead and do so.ÓÊThe child foretold that they would be driven fromÊtheir homes, about their journey across the plains, and then related some of the sufferings they would have to endure before reaching the Valley of the Mountains.ÊThe predictions of this five-year old child were fulfilled to the letter. Ê

Sarah McKee Davis had no opportunity for education.ÊHer life was spent in service to her fellowmen and God.ÊShe not only reared her own large family but after the death of her daughter, Sarah Bell Davis Forsgren, she reared her three grandchildren, Charles Q., Alice and John H. Forsgren.ÊSurely there will be a great reward for her.ÊIn this life she was loved and respected by all who knew her.ÊOn one occasion she received public recognition for her faithful services. President Lorenzo Snow ordered the man in the old cabinet shop to make two easy chairs, one for Grandfather and one for Grandmother Davis.ÊThe chairs were placed near the pulpit in the meetinghouse so that the aged couple might sit in comfort to enjoy the Sabbath worship.

Ê Sarah McKee Davis died on 20th February 1888 in the old home on North Main Street at the ripe age of 88 years, five months and 28 days.ÊFuneral services were held in the Stake Tabernacle and were attended by hundreds of sorrowing friends.ÊLet her name be among those noble women, the memory of whom will live forever. Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê