Item Detail
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Henrie, Amanda Bradley
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1829-1903
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MSS SC 873
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Biography
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Amanda Bradley Henrie was born 15 January 1829 at Clarence, Erie, New York to Thomas Jefferson Bradley and Betsy Elizabeth Kroll. Amanda was the first of four children and in September of 1848 she traveled with her family across the plains to Utah. For most of the journey she drove an ox team. Her family built a log cabin in Salt Lake City, but not long after this they were called to settle Manti, Utah. Before the move Amanda married her Mormon battalion boy Daniel Henrie. They were married in October 1849 and soon after followed their families to Manti. However, they were stopped by harsh conditions and their party was forced to spend three months in Salt Creek Canyon, during this time they survived on corn bread and what game they could catch. When Amanda and Daniel finally arrived in Manti they set up house and over the course of the years Amanda gave birth to fourteen children, she also took in two little abandoned Indian girls. Her husband entered into plural marriage and she also helped the new wife become accustomed to raising her own ten children in this new environment. Amanda was an excellent pioneer and mastered the art of home making and child rearing in such difficult circumstances. Later in life she became very ill and suffered from asthma. For years she required the help of daughters and granddaughters until she finally became confined to bed and after her long illness passed away on 7 May 1903.
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This collection is a compilation of Henrie family biographies. There is a six typewritten page history of the five children of William and Myra Mayall Henrie. There is a typewritten manuscript of a letter written by Myra Henrie to her only daughter, Margaret, and a photocopy of said letter. This is followed by a full page photograph copy of Robert and Elizabeth Johnsons family, one of Daniel Henries sons, then one of the women in the Henrie family and a photo of William Henries sons. There is then a sketch of the life of Daniel Henrie followed by the nine-page typewritten biography of Elizabeth Johnston Johnson and her husband. Following this biography there is a four-page biography of Amanda Bradley and a five-page history of the same Amanda Bradley and her husband Daniel Henrie. Amandas biography was written by her granddaughter Alice Johnson Nielson in 1957. Alice grew up in Manti close to her grandparents and starts the biography by expressing her desire to document all she remembered growing up around her grandparents and all she has learned of her grandparents from relatives. The author covers all the major events in Amandas life including her birth, journey to Utah, marriage, children, and passing. Alice was the last granddaughter to look after Amanda in her home before her death and records her experience caring for her ailing grandmother. She expresses multiple times her gratitude and love for her grandmother and the courageous life she led. The biography is easily legible, but contains many spelling errors, none of which impede understanding.
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1829-1903