Individual Details
Elizabeth MERCHANT
(29 Dec 1821 - 13 Nov 1893)
Second marriage to James Bird & they were sealed, in life, in the Endoument House on 8 Feb. 1870. Soon after coming to America, John Day and Elizabeth were divorced 13 Nov 1869 on year and three month after arriving in Salt Lake. They each married and were sealed to their new spouses. The children of John and Elizabeth were sealed by proxy to Elizabeth and James Bird on 6 Nov. 1958.
Censes records 1861 Luton, England. Luton Branch records 1844 to 1849. Church Emigration records 1850-1869 Vol. 3. Census records USA 1870, Salt Lake City, Utah Ward 13:
Line 22: 36 Bird, Eilzabith 48, female, white, keeping house, born in England, Father and Mother of foreign birth, , married this year in Feby.
Line 23: Day John 10, male, white, at home, born in England, father and mother of foreign birth.
Baptized again 14 July 1845, Branch records, Luton, England.
Interesting Thoughts on Elizabeth
Elizabeth Merchant was a daughter of William Merchant, a wheelwright, and Jane Garcey. It is believed that Elizabeth was in the wholesale millinery business having a large number of employees working for her. All hats were made by hand at that time.
When they arrived in Salt Lake City she again ran a millinery and hat shop on second south street.
One year and three months after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley Elizabeth and Thomas were divorced. It is believed that Thomas's history of Epilepsy was a big factor on the divorce.
She later met and fell in love with James Bird and married him and was sealed to him in the Endowment House on 8 February 1870. The children of Thomas and Elizabeth were sealed to James and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth and James Bird lived at 220 South Second West in Sale Lake. He was a cabinet maker and she made clothes and cleaned furs. There shop was at 142 South West Temple, according to the census records.
She died 13 November 1893 of Capillary Bronchitis being sick 7 days, age 71. Her doctor was O. H. Dogge. Undertaker was Jos. Wm. Layton. She is buried in the Lake City Cemetery in a lot with her daughter Ellen and Ellen's second husband. (Death records and Cemetery records). FIELD NAME Page VALUE accessed 23 Aug 2011), entry for Elizabeth Merchant, person ID KWJQ-KYM. _INFO P FIELD NAME Page VALUE accessed 1 Mar 2011), entry for Elizabeth Merchant, person ID KWJQ-KYM. _INFO P FIELD NAME Page VALUE accessed 23 Aug 2011), entry for Elizabeth Merchant, person ID KWJQ-KYM. _INFO P
Censes records 1861 Luton, England. Luton Branch records 1844 to 1849. Church Emigration records 1850-1869 Vol. 3. Census records USA 1870, Salt Lake City, Utah Ward 13:
Line 22: 36 Bird, Eilzabith 48, female, white, keeping house, born in England, Father and Mother of foreign birth, , married this year in Feby.
Line 23: Day John 10, male, white, at home, born in England, father and mother of foreign birth.
Baptized again 14 July 1845, Branch records, Luton, England.
Interesting Thoughts on Elizabeth
Elizabeth Merchant was a daughter of William Merchant, a wheelwright, and Jane Garcey. It is believed that Elizabeth was in the wholesale millinery business having a large number of employees working for her. All hats were made by hand at that time.
When they arrived in Salt Lake City she again ran a millinery and hat shop on second south street.
One year and three months after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley Elizabeth and Thomas were divorced. It is believed that Thomas's history of Epilepsy was a big factor on the divorce.
She later met and fell in love with James Bird and married him and was sealed to him in the Endowment House on 8 February 1870. The children of Thomas and Elizabeth were sealed to James and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth and James Bird lived at 220 South Second West in Sale Lake. He was a cabinet maker and she made clothes and cleaned furs. There shop was at 142 South West Temple, according to the census records.
She died 13 November 1893 of Capillary Bronchitis being sick 7 days, age 71. Her doctor was O. H. Dogge. Undertaker was Jos. Wm. Layton. She is buried in the Lake City Cemetery in a lot with her daughter Ellen and Ellen's second husband. (Death records and Cemetery records). FIELD NAME Page VALUE accessed 23 Aug 2011), entry for Elizabeth Merchant, person ID KWJQ-KYM. _INFO P FIELD NAME Page VALUE accessed 1 Mar 2011), entry for Elizabeth Merchant, person ID KWJQ-KYM. _INFO P FIELD NAME Page VALUE accessed 23 Aug 2011), entry for Elizabeth Merchant, person ID KWJQ-KYM. _INFO P
Events
| Birth | 29 Dec 1821 | , Hertford, Hertfordshire, England |  | ||
| Christen | 17 Feb 1822 | St Andrews, Hertford, Hertfordshire, England | | ||
| Marriage | 15 Nov 1842 | Luton, Bedfordshire, England - Thomas DAY | |||
| Marriage | 8 Feb 1870 | Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States - James BIRD | |||
| Death | 13 Nov 1893 | Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States | |||
| Burial | 17 Nov 1893 | Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States | |||
| Divorce | Thomas DAY | ||||
| Divorce | Thomas DAY | ||||
| Divorced | Divorced - Thomas DAY | ||||
| Divorced | Divorced - Thomas DAY | ||||
| Divorced | Divorced - Thomas DAY | ||||
| Census | Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States | ||||
| Occupation |  |
Families
| Spouse | James BIRD (1812 - 1896) |
| Spouse | Thomas DAY (1816 - 1875) |
| Child | William DAY (1843 - ) |
| Child | Henry DAY (1845 - 1863) |
| Child | Francis DAY (1846 - 1938) |
| Child | Elizabeth DAY (1848 - 1891) |
| Child | Mary Ann DAY (1850 - 1910) |
| Child | Jane DAY (1851 - 1902) |
| Child | Ellen DAY (1855 - 1929) |
| Child | Emily DAY (1858 - 1869) |
| Child | John DAY SR. (1860 - 1930) |
| Father | William MERCHANT ( - 1855) |
| Mother | Jane GEARY ( - 1868) |
| Sibling | Francis Harrow MERCHANT (1819 - ) |
| Sibling | Hannah MERCHANT (1823 - ) |
| Sibling | Jane MERCHANT (1825 - 1825) |
| Sibling | William MERCHANT (1826 - ) |
Notes
Occupation
Occupation Notes The Straw Hat industry was a very important home industry in the St Albans and Luton area (which is why the Luton Football team is called the Hatters).Straw was split along its length and plaited into long strips by women and children at home and sold on to dealers, with others using the plait to make straw hats. Very large numbers of people were involved and the 1881 census for St Albans Abbey Parish includes some 500 people who are clearly linked to the industry. Occupations mentioned include Bleacher of Straw Plait, Blocker, Bonnet Sewer, Brazilian Hat Manufacturer, Clerk In Straw Factory, Commercial Traveller Straw Hats, Felt And Straw Hat Manufacturer, Hat & Bonnet Sewer, Hat Blocker, Hat Sewer, Hat Stiffener, Hat Trimmer, Plait Basket Maker, Plait Maker, Plait Miller, Plait Sewer, Straw Basket Maker, Straw Finisher, Straw Hat Blocker, Straw Hat Finisher, Straw Hat Machinist, Straw Hat Maker, Straw Hat Manufacturer, Straw Hat Packer, Straw Hat Sewer, Straw Hat Stiffener, Straw Hat Trimmer, Straw Plaiter, Straw Sewer, Straw Tailor.
Initially it was impossible to dye straw but I believe one of the first successful dyes was a red dye made from Brazil wood. While I have not seen a formal definition I am pretty sure that a Brazilian Hat Manufacturer made straw hats incorporating coloured straw.
From "Hertfordshire - Little Guide -1903": The wages earned by peasant girls and women in this employment were formerly high; 100 years ago a woman, if dexterous, might earn as much as £1 per week, but the increase in machinery and the competition from foreign plait has almost destroyed this cottage industry in some districts. During the last twenty years several large straw hat manufactories have been erected in St. Albans, and the trade enlarged, although the conditions of production are altered
Endnotes
1. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "FamilySearch," database, \i FamilySearch\i0 (http://new.familysearch.org), accessed 23 Aug 2011), entry for Elizabeth Merchant, person ID KWJQ-KYM..
2. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "FamilySearch," database, \i FamilySearch\i0 (http://new.familysearch.org), accessed 1 Mar 2011), entry for Elizabeth Merchant, person ID KWJQ-KYM..