Maryette Rowe

A History By Carol Gates Sorensen

Maryette was born the third day of October 1831 (my record say 1829 a visit to Ithaca could not confirm either date) at Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York to Elizabeth Collins and Stephen Rowe. I was unable to determine if the Rowe Family were early LDS converts, but Maryette was resident of Nauvoo, Hancock, Ill. When she marred Hiram Gates and received her endowments on Friday, February 6, 1846 about the time the Saints were making their exodus of that city. The sealing record at Winter Quarters says 1829.

The Gates family was among the last to leave Nauvoo as Hiram was a Captain in the Nauvoo War and had previously served as a bodyguard to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Family fled after an agreement was reached in that encounter and they were ordered from the city. Hiram apparently was a "man of means" and not a member of the poor camp as was first thought, the journals of Thomas Bullock refers to him as leaving Nauvoo with 5 wagons and referred to him as "a man of means."

The Gates family settled in Council Bluffs where Hiram established a dancing school and where Maryette was delivered of a daughter on 15 February 1847. The new baby was named Frances, From Council Bluffs the family moved on to Winter Quarters (Florence, Nebraska). Here Hiram chaired a big event know as the Nauvoo War Veterans, was involved in the establishment of the post office and conducted a dancing school of over 440 students "which contributed much to the people." He ran a butcher shop, a farm, and stray pen.

While at Winter Quarters, Hiram and his wives visited the Recorder’s office where sealing ceremonies were performed. The record shows that 123 noon on January 13, 1848 President Brigham Young performed the sealing ceremonies and Maryette’s was witnessed by Thomas Bullock. The family left Winter Quarters on June 2, 1848 and arrived in Salt Lake City on Sept 20, 1848 where they were assigned to the pioneer house under the leadership of Bishop William Hichkenlooper.

On January 11, 1849, Maryette was again delivered of baby girl whom she named Elizabeth (Probably after her mother). A few months later, Hiram Gates went to the Goldfields of California with a new bride-Emily Amanda Rockwell, the daughter of infamous Porter Rockwell. Hiram did the first week of Sept. 1850 at Greenwood Ca.

Faced with severe problems (Crickets, etc.) Maryette tried to cope along with Hiram’s first wife, Sarah Maria Sayles. Maryette was dealt another blow, in August 1849, Sarah Maria Died of heart failure at the age of 42. Now Maryette along with her two little girls and the sons of Sarah Maria who were 12/ 14 had to make on their own. It is believed that in order to survive, Maryette gave her daughters away. Simeon and Dorcas Andrews in Beaver, Utah, raised Frances. They were not members of the LDS church at that time. We have not determined who raised Elizabeth as of this date. The Diary of Parry Sessions makes mention of Maryette in early 1850.

On February 10, 1850 Maryette now 19 years old entered into another polygamous marriage when she was married to Lysander Gee (son of Solomon Gee and Sarah Watson Crane) in Salt Lake city, (the Nicholas Morgan Map of Salt Lake City indicates Hiram Gates was given 5 acre plot when he arrived there; one of his neighbors was Lysander gee.) A listing of their children does not include Elizabeth!

Elizabeth gates married Robert William Taylor, a young English miner, in 1865 at Stockton, Tooele, Utah Territory. She was baptized Apr 1866; was endowed on November 1868 in the endowment house, For many years, she was listed as having produced a daughter, Frances, who did at the age of 2 years; and son named William Taylor, Jr. The family history then became silent for many years.

Maryette and Lysander produced 9 children; the first three born in Salt Lake City: Erasmus Gee, Born 2 Jun 1851; Erastus Rowe Gee, born 31 Oct 1852; Augustus Gee, born 24 September 1854. the family then moved to Tooele where Lysander served in Church offices, was a prosecuting attorney, and a JP. While living in Tooele, the following children were born: Mary , born 3 March 1857 (md Thrope Luker); John, born 11 Apr 1859; Stephen Rowe Gee, Born 24 Feb 1861 (md Thalia Ann Watson at Grouse Creek);Caroline Roe, born 13 May 1863 (md Robert Mc Gavin);Emma, born25 June 1865, (md Brigham Telford); an Robert, born 19 Dec 1866. Only 1 day after Robert was born, Maryette died on 20 Dec., 1866 at the age of 39 and was buried on 23 Dec 1866 at Tooele, Tooele, Utah.

Fred Kennedy, a descendent of Frances Gates and James Darling Wiley has provided me with the family group sheet including a picture of Frances. His family knew nothing about Elizabeth-only that she, too, had been given away while still very young.

In November of 1997 , a Shirley VanKatwyk, called me from Salt Lake City to inquire about the history of Hiram Gates. She read a book I had produced entitled Henry Gates of Upper Canada. In this book, I had made and inquiry as to what had happened to Elizabeth Gates Taylor (Daughter of Maryette and sister to Frances gates Wiley). Shirley told me her grandmother was Ann Elizabeth Gates. I knew that this could not be Elizabeth Gates Taylor. Shirley’s grandmother had died a the age of 32 and was buried in the cemetery at the ghost town of Oseola, White Pine, Nevada. We determined that this was a daughter of Elizabeth G Taylor.

This information required even further search. I played around with the computer and, who knows why, but Elizabeth Gates Taylor and her husband Robert William Taylor appeared along with several children! I noted that the last one was born in Ward, Ely, Nevada. A Search was made: White Pine’s records had been destroyed in a fire, I was referred to June (who was making an inventory of the cemeteries) and a man named Dave Tilford. Dave informed me that there are two old ghost towns near Ely (Ward and Taylor) these were silver mines. Still, no definitive information!

Shirley and I got together-I gave her all the information I had and posed some questions for her to research since she was on a mission at the Family History Center in Salt Lake City. On February 7, 1998, I received a very important letter from Shirley. She had uncovered the following information regarding Elizabeth Gates Taylor:

Apparently Elizabeth and Robert William Taylor decided to "split the sheets" in 1878. She had then married a man named Robert Harrison Silliman. They had produced 6 children! There were tow boys and four girls. Most of the children were born at Ward and some were born at Taylor. Elizabeth died in 1898 and is buried in the cemetery at Ely, While Pie, Nevada; Mr. Silliman is also buried at Ely, White Pine. Robert William Taylor moved to moved to Dayton, Franklin Idaho to be near his son, Robert William Taylor, Jr. He died there and is buried in the Dayton Cemetery. Many of Elizabeth’s children remained in the Ely Nevada location.

Date: February 8 1998

Carole Gates Sorensen, Ed. D.