Item Detail
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Garn, Mary Magdalina Vogt
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1820-1915
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MSS 8
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Biography
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Mary Magdalina Vogt Garn was born September 12, 1820 in Jackson, Perry County, Ohio to Michael Vogt and Elizabeth Cline. Mary was one of eight children of a well-to-do family, and she lived with her parents on their farm until she married Phillip James Garn on March 8, 1840. The couple stayed at Elizabeth's home for six weeks before building a cabin. They had successful crops, as they were both hard-working. Mary worked mostly in the home, dyeing clothing and growing plants. The couple heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from Phillip's uncle, Daniel Garn, and they were baptized. Afterwards, however, Mary was disowned from her family, and the couple was shunned by former friends. In the spring of 1855, the Garns left Ohio with seven children, traveling with the Thirston Company. They reached Salt Lake City on October 13, 1855, and stayed with Daniel Garn for two weeks. November 1, they purchased property in Centerville, where another child was born. On January 18, 1859, Phillip died, and Mary was left to manage the farm with her young sons. Mary died on September 24, 1915 in Centerville at age 95, leaving behind 210 descendants.
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This six-page typescript from the Margaret Steed Hess collection was written by Mary Garn's granddaughter and grandson. It presents a brief look at Mary's life, providing a few personal details. They describe Mary's first encounter with Phillip, and how they became acquainted. The process of dyeing clothing is provided in more elaborate detail, as well as Mary's activities with quilting and preparing wool. She was efficient in her use of fat and grease. The two grandchildren also write more concerning the preparations before traveling across the plains: they describe the preparation of food, the collection of yeast, corn, beans, dried fruit, and other economic, salvageable items. While traveling, the men would stand guard, riding horseback along the way, and the women would watch the children, sometimes walking and sometimes driving. They would meet in the evenings, and in the morning, place bread in the wagons to rise during the day. The cows were useful during the trip because they provided milk and butter. Mary is described as having been generous and charitable, and always busy'never having idle hands. She worked in a flower and vegetable garden, and took up an interest in genealogy before she died.
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1833-1911