Case, Martha Diana
1823 - 1872 (48 years)Martha Diana Case 1823 – 1872 Mother of Martha Howland Nash By Rachel Helen Packer
Martha Diana Case was born 8 October 1823 in Troy, Bradford, Co., Pennsylvania, the daughter of Moses and Rachel Purdy Case. Being of a weak and frail constitution, she was not able to do hard labor; so most of her time was occupied in study, which gave her a fair education. At the age of fifteen, she began to teach the “District School” in the summer months, and would attend school in the winter months herself.
In her eighteenth year she became acquainted with a gentleman by the name of Henry Howland. As they became better acquainted, their friendship grew to love. They were married 27 December 1842, at Flagg, Ogle County, Illinois. They obtained a quarter section of land, and through their industry and economy made themselves a good home. They had four children. The eldest was a son, named Henry, born 14 January 1843, but he only lived to be five years old. Their other three children were daughters. The oldest was Helen Rachel, born 26 April 1846; then Emma Jane, born 14 January 1849; and then Martha, born 18 December 1851.
While living in Illinois, they became acquainted with a lady advanced in her years, by the name of Leonard; she belonged to a different kind of religion than they did. It aroused their curiosity, and she would lend them her church books with the promise that they would take good care of them, for she prized them highly. One of these books was the Book of Mormon. Martha would read the book in the daytime; and when her husband came from work, she would read it over again to him. They began to contemplate in their own minds if it might be true. They soon began to converse about such a thing being possible.
The more they thought and talked about the subject, the more they were convinced that the Church was true. They invited the Leonard lady to come to learn more of the religion and her faith. By this visit they thought they could learn more of the religion and her faith. They became so attached to her that they soon affectionately called her Grandma Leonard.
Martha thought the gospel was all plain and true. She was anxious to see her father and mother, brothers and sisters, to explain the gospel to them that they might know of the true gospel, and not wander in the darkness any longer. It was not long before she and her husband started out to make her parents a visit and make them acquainted with their new faith. But how disappointed they were, as not one could see as they did; and they even thought poor Martha D. with her bad health had gone crazy. How sad Martha felt to think her folks could not be made to see and believe as she did; but her faith was not shaken.
It was not long before the spirit of gathering with the Saints became foremost in their minds. It was a long, tedious journey to make to Utah with a team and a wagon, especially with Martha having poor health. They would often wonder and talk the matter over among them selves and ask each other if it were wise and prudent to make such a journey. Martha being of a courageous disposition believed they should try to make the journey, so they began making preparations. They bought $10.00 worth of medicine and all the comforts they could think of for the journey. Henry could find no one able to buy his property, so he rented it on a five-year lease to his father-in-law, Moses Case.
In the year 1852, Henry, his wife, his three daughters, and Grandma Leonard left their home in Illinois to join with the Latter-day Saints in the Valley of the Rocky Mountains. They came to the Missouri River, and there they met a company of Latter-day Saints who were making preparations to go to Salt Lake City. While waiting for the company to get ready to start, he took his blacksmith tools and helped the men fix their wagons and other implements to get ready to start. In the forepart of June, everything was ready and they started their journey again. Henry worked very hard to help the Saints cross the Missouri. The cholera broke out in their company. And there were many lives lost. Among those who died, Martha lost her dear and kind husband on 15 June 1852; now she was left among strangers, which she had only seen a few days, with the exception of her three daughters, the eldest being six years old, and Grandma Leonard. Due to the dreaded disease, Captain John Tidwell thought it best for her to get in a wagon with someone else with her children, so it would not spread to the rest of the family. Grandma Leonard would not comply with the wish and said that she wanted to stay with Henry’s body. Through the excitement, the team was not harnessed properly; and the team ran away with the corpse and Grandma Leonard. She was thrown out of the wagon and killed instantly. They were both buried in the same grave on the banks of the Missouri River.
It was several hours before Martha was aware of the sad accident, as she had fainted as the team ran away. These were indeed sad days for her, but many friends helped her and cheered her up through her troubles. She still had her desire to go to Utah, and she was baptized 20 June 1852 by John Tidwell in the first water they came to. She stood the journey very well. Peter Preece, and she arrived in Salt Lake City with the company of Saints.
She bought a house and a lot in the Second Ward in Salt Lake City and lived there until 1855. In 1853 she married Telamchus Rogers, but it was not a happy union, and they lived together for about a year and then separated being advised to do so by the General Authorities. She had one daughter born to her through this union, Henrietta Louisa Rogers, born 31 July 1854. Martha D. being a generous disposition was always ready to divide with the poor and needy. While she was a widow, she took a poor old blind woman and kept her a year. She always fed the hungry and never turned them from her door.
During the grasshopper siege of 1854, she shared her last loaf of bread with a poor beggar woman, and she did not know where the next mouthful would come from. But she was blessed by the Lord for her generosity, for before the nightfall a gentleman by the name of Tanner brought her 200 pounds of flour which carried her through until harvest.
She taught school in her home in Salt Lake City. While teaching, she became acquainted with William A. Hickman, who at that time was well thought of in the Church, but much later apostatized. Martha married him in 1855, being his ninth wife, for she believed in the Celestial order of marriage. During this marriage she had four children, Jordan R., Avilda Diana, Don Carlos, and Mary Rosetts.
During the year 1858, her home in Salt Lake City was sold, and she moved to West Jordan and made her home there for a few years. At the time of Johnson’s Army, she moved to the southern part of Utah and taught school under a large tree at the Pond home. When the Saints moved back to Salt Lake, she also came back to her home in the city.
In the year 1860, her eldest daughter married Nephi Packer, and they moved to Brigham City. In 1861 Martha went to visit her daughter during the summer. She remained in West Jordan until 1863 and then she moved to Franklin, Idaho. She taught school in Franklin for several years. She was well known for the beautiful fancy work she could do with her sewing. She bought a piece of land in Franklin and had a house erected. Her second daughter, Emma Jane, married Nephi Comish; and Martha, her daughter, married Isaac B. Nash, and they made their homes in Franklin.
She taught true and everlasting principles to her children and all she came in contact with. At the present time, 15 February 1895, she has 76 members in her posterity. She died in full fellowship of the Gospel on 16 March 1872, in Franklin, Oneida County, Idaho.
Statistics on Martha Diana Case
Born, Troy, Bradford, Pennsylvania 8 October 1823
Married Henry Howland, Illinois 27 December 1842 19 years old
Henry Howland Died 15 June 1852 28 years old
Married Telemachus Rogers 1853 30 years old
Married William Hickman 1855 32 years old
Moved to Franklin, Idaho 1863 40 years old
Died and Buried in Franklin 16 March 1872 49 years old
The temple records indicate that she was sealed to all three husbands. Joseph Fielding Smith wrote a daughter answering this problem that such problems as this one will be worked during the Millennium. The children of all three marriages wanted to and were sealed to Henry Howland.
(Transcribed from PH-1, Pioneer History Room, Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters. Note: Text is transcribed as written with spelling corrected in brackets.)
In her eighteenth year she became acquainted with a gentleman by the name of Henry Howland. As they became better acquainted, their friendship grew to love. They were married 27 December 1842, at Flagg, Ogle County, Illinois. They obtained a quarter section of land, and through their industry and economy made themselves a good home. They had four children. The eldest was a son, named Henry, born 14 January 1843, but he only lived to be five years old. Their other three children were daughters. The oldest was Helen Rachel, born 26 April 1846; then Emma Jane, born 14 January 1849; and then Martha, born 18 December 1851.
While living in Illinois, they became acquainted with a lady advanced in her years, by the name of Leonard; she belonged to a different kind of religion than they did. It aroused their curiosity, and she would lend them her church books with the promise that they would take good care of them, for she prized them highly. One of these books was the Book of Mormon. Martha would read the book in the daytime; and when her husband came from work, she would read it over again to him. They began to contemplate in their own minds if it might be true. They soon began to converse about such a thing being possible.
The more they thought and talked about the subject, the more they were convinced that the Church was true. They invited the Leonard lady to come to learn more of the religion and her faith. By this visit they thought they could learn more of the religion and her faith. They became so attached to her that they soon affectionately called her Grandma Leonard.
Martha thought the gospel was all plain and true. She was anxious to see her father and mother, brothers and sisters, to explain the gospel to them that they might know of the true gospel, and not wander in the darkness any longer. It was not long before she and her husband started out to make her parents a visit and make them acquainted with their new faith. But how disappointed they were, as not one could see as they did; and they even thought poor Martha D. with her bad health had gone crazy. How sad Martha felt to think her folks could not be made to see and believe as she did; but her faith was not shaken.
It was not long before the spirit of gathering with the Saints became foremost in their minds. It was a long, tedious journey to make to Utah with a team and a wagon, especially with Martha having poor health. They would often wonder and talk the matter over among them selves and ask each other if it were wise and prudent to make such a journey. Martha being of a courageous disposition believed they should try to make the journey, so they began making preparations. They bought $10.00 worth of medicine and all the comforts they could think of for the journey. Henry could find no one able to buy his property, so he rented it on a five-year lease to his father-in-law, Moses Case.
In the year 1852, Henry, his wife, his three daughters, and Grandma Leonard left their home in Illinois to join with the Latter-day Saints in the Valley of the Rocky Mountains. They came to the Missouri River, and there they met a company of Latter-day Saints who were making preparations to go to Salt Lake City. While waiting for the company to get ready to start, he took his blacksmith tools and helped the men fix their wagons and other implements to get ready to start. In the forepart of June, everything was ready and they started their journey again. Henry worked very hard to help the Saints cross the Missouri. The cholera broke out in their company. And there were many lives lost. Among those who died, Martha lost her dear and kind husband on 15 June 1852; now she was left among strangers, which she had only seen a few days, with the exception of her three daughters, the eldest being six years old, and Grandma Leonard. Due to the dreaded disease, Captain John Tidwell thought it best for her to get in a wagon with someone else with her children, so it would not spread to the rest of the family. Grandma Leonard would not comply with the wish and said that she wanted to stay with Henry’s body. Through the excitement, the team was not harnessed properly; and the team ran away with the corpse and Grandma Leonard. She was thrown out of the wagon and killed instantly. They were both buried in the same grave on the banks of the Missouri River.
It was several hours before Martha was aware of the sad accident, as she had fainted as the team ran away. These were indeed sad days for her, but many friends helped her and cheered her up through her troubles. She still had her desire to go to Utah, and she was baptized 20 June 1852 by John Tidwell in the first water they came to. She stood the journey very well. Peter Preece, and she arrived in Salt Lake City with the company of Saints.
She bought a house and a lot in the Second Ward in Salt Lake City and lived there until 1855. In 1853 she married Telamchus Rogers, but it was not a happy union, and they lived together for about a year and then separated being advised to do so by the General Authorities. She had one daughter born to her through this union, Henrietta Louisa Rogers, born 31 July 1854. Martha D. being a generous disposition was always ready to divide with the poor and needy. While she was a widow, she took a poor old blind woman and kept her a year. She always fed the hungry and never turned them from her door.
During the grasshopper siege of 1854, she shared her last loaf of bread with a poor beggar woman, and she did not know where the next mouthful would come from. But she was blessed by the Lord for her generosity, for before the nightfall a gentleman by the name of Tanner brought her 200 pounds of flour which carried her through until harvest.
She taught school in her home in Salt Lake City. While teaching, she became acquainted with William A. Hickman, who at that time was well thought of in the Church, but much later apostatized. Martha married him in 1855, being his ninth wife, for she believed in the Celestial order of marriage. During this marriage she had four children, Jordan R., Avilda Diana, Don Carlos, and Mary Rosetts.
During the year 1858, her home in Salt Lake City was sold, and she moved to West Jordan and made her home there for a few years. At the time of Johnson’s Army, she moved to the southern part of Utah and taught school under a large tree at the Pond home. When the Saints moved back to Salt Lake, she also came back to her home in the city.
In the year 1860, her eldest daughter married Nephi Packer, and they moved to Brigham City. In 1861 Martha went to visit her daughter during the summer. She remained in West Jordan until 1863 and then she moved to Franklin, Idaho. She taught school in Franklin for several years. She was well known for the beautiful fancy work she could do with her sewing. She bought a piece of land in Franklin and had a house erected. Her second daughter, Emma Jane, married Nephi Comish; and Martha, her daughter, married Isaac B. Nash, and they made their homes in Franklin.
She taught true and everlasting principles to her children and all she came in contact with. At the present time, 15 February 1895, she has 76 members in her posterity. She died in full fellowship of the Gospel on 16 March 1872, in Franklin, Oneida County, Idaho.
Statistics on Martha Diana Case
Born, Troy, Bradford, Pennsylvania 8 October 1823
Married Henry Howland, Illinois 27 December 1842 19 years old
Henry Howland Died 15 June 1852 28 years old
Married Telemachus Rogers 1853 30 years old
Married William Hickman 1855 32 years old
Moved to Franklin, Idaho 1863 40 years old
Died and Buried in Franklin 16 March 1872 49 years old
The temple records indicate that she was sealed to all three husbands. Joseph Fielding Smith wrote a daughter answering this problem that such problems as this one will be worked during the Millennium. The children of all three marriages wanted to and were sealed to Henry Howland.
(Transcribed from PH-1, Pioneer History Room, Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters. Note: Text is transcribed as written with spelling corrected in brackets.)
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