LEWIS, ELIZA BUCKLEY - FROM VENETTA KING GILGEN

LEWIS, ELIZA BUCKLEY - FROM VENETTA KING GILGEN

ELIZA BUCKLEY LEWIS

Eliza Buckley Lewis was born 23 August 1832 in Musselburgh, Edinburgh (Midlothian) County, Parish of Inveresk, Scotland. She was the eldest child of Walter Lewis and Janet Ferguson. As a young girl she worked in the house of nobility, to the lady in waiting of Queen Victoria. She knew and loved Queen Victoria and worked in capacity of Lady's Maid when the Queen visited Scotland.

She was small of stature and medium complexioned, and wore a number 2 shoe until late in life.

She married Andrew King, Sr., 19 May 1851 in Musselburg, Scotland. Eleven children were born to her, they are as follows:

James Naysmith King, born and died 3 December 1851.

Janet Naysmith King, (Jessie) born 17 January 1853 at Fifeshire, Scotland, who married

David Drysdale.

William Lewis King, born 15 January 1855 at Cowdenbeath, Fifeshire, Scotland. Married

Ellen Beveridge. He died in a snow slide in Logan Canyon, Utah 29 February 1880.

Walter Lewis King, born 4 February 1857 at Ballingry, Fifeshire, died 6 May 1859.

James King, born 22 April 1859 at West Pans, Parish of Inveresk.

Andrew King, born 11 May 1861 at High Street, Archibald Place, Musselburg, Parish of

Inveresk, County of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Elizabeth Naysmith Ferguson King, born 19 July 1863 at Musselburgh, Scotland. Married

Thomas Blunt Smith and died in Idaho.

Thomas King, born 29 November 1865 at Wallyford, Parish of Inveresk, Scotland. Died 28

April 1867, Scotland.

Francis Ferguson Lewis King, born 4 April 1869 at 18 Wallyford, Newton, Inveresk,

Scotland

Euphemia Howie King, born 26 September 1871 at 18 Wallyford, Newton, Inveresk,

Scotland. Married John Cardon of Logan, Utah.

Eliza Buckley Lewis King,born 9 May 1878 at Logan, Utah, USA. Died 11 January 1881

of diphtheria.

Eliza was always pretty. Even at almost 97 when she died she was young and cute.

One day a gentleman came to her door and asked her if her mother was at home. This amused her very much, as she was the mother of several children. She was a splendid cook, nurse, and house keeper. In the old country she would take her washing down by the brook and there she washed and scrubbed until her clothes were snow-white. When wash-boards were first introduced she told the sales agent who tried to sell her one that she wouldn't buy one because it would rub holes in her clothes. She preferred rubbing them by hand.

She can't remember the year she joined the LDS Church, but she says her oldest daughter Jessie was just a wee girl when Eliza and her husband first heard the gospel from the missionaries. Her husband presided over a branch of the Church before coming to America. He and his daughter Janet (or Jessie) and Lizzie came to this country in 1874. She and Jim, Euphemia and Andrew left England for America 11 May 1875, crossed the ocean in the Steamship Wyoming.

Eliza spent the remainder of her life in Logan, Utah. She spent some time working in the Logan Temple, but devoted most of her time to her home, family and friends. She had a large host of friends.

At the death of her husband, she sold the home to her son Andrew and he in turn sold it to the Tenth Ward of Logan to be used as a home for the custodian of their meeting house. Andrew then built her a two room home joining that of her daughter Jessie. Here she lived, entertaining friends and enjoying life to the utmost until a few months before her death. Everyone who called to see her was never allowed to leave until she served either tea or lunch. Each year Jessie and Andrew would give her a wonderful birthday party including relatives and friends. Each year she thought it would be the last but she lived until she was 97 except for 20 days. Jessie lost her health and was unable to care for her mother longer, so she was moved to Andrew's home. She was only there a few months when she fell and broke her hip. After seven weeks in bed she died 3 Aug. 1929.

One of her stories: "When my children had whooping cough I found the air of the mountains good for them. They didn't cough as often or feel as sick as they did at home, so I couldn't afford to keep them housed. If a Scotch woman is clean, she scrubs her floors every day and finishes with scrubbing the door step. I used to scrub the door step and the women of the court where I lived thought I had finished my work. Then we would take our lunch and walk to the mountains and stay until dark before we returned. After the children were asleep, I'd work way into the night doing the things I had neglected during the day."

(Copied from Venetta King Gilgen's Book of Remembrance)