Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

Ellen Alvina Wilhelm

Female 1846 - 1939  (93 years)


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  • Name Ellen Alvina Wilhelm 
    Born 25 May 1846  Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Died 11 Jul 1939  Vernal, Uintah, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried 14 Jul 1939  Freedom Cemetery, Freedom, Sanpete, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I1838  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Family 1 William Lothrup Draper,   b. 5 Mar 1838, Kirtland, Geauga (now Lake), Ohio, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 2 May 1887, Freedom, Sanpete, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 49 years) 
    Married 1 Aug 1863  Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F1137  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Michael Stoker,   b. 12 Sep 1833, Bloomfield Township, Jackson, Ohio, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 2 Sep 1904, Junction, Piute, Utah, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 70 years) 
    Married 1 Jul 1892  Nephi, Juab, Utah Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Divorced Yes, date unknown 
    Notes 
    • The book: "The Ebenezer Hanks Story," author Kerry William Bate; 1982; Address: Kerry Bate, 543 East 600 South, SLC, UT, 84 102.
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F850  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. Variations of name on some submitted family group sheets includes middle name of Albinia and last name of Williams. I use Ellen Alvina Wilhelm due to daughter's biography as quoted below.

      2. Censuses:
      1880 US: Freedom, Sanpete, Utah, FHL film 1255337, NA film T9-1337, p. 377A [polygamous; lives next door to husband and other wives]:
      Ellen Draper, keeping house, M, 33, IL, NY, NY.
      Susan, at home, dau., S, 11, UT, OH, IL.
      Emma D., at home, dau., S, 9, UT, OH, IL.
      John W., at home, son, S, 6, UT, OH, IL.
      Sarah E., at home, dau., S, 5, UT, OH, IL.
      Ida E., at home, dau., S, 2, UT, OH, IL.
      Minne A., at home, dau., S, 1, UT, OH, IL.
      1900 US: Junction, Piute, Utah, p. 229B:
      Ellen Draper, b. May 1846, widow, 11 total children - 6 living, IL NY NY, weaves rag rugs.

      3. Children of marriage with William Draper per Ancestry.com database ":753136"; parents also reported as John Benjamin Wilhelm b. 13 Jun 1818 at Venice, Cayuga, NY and Clarissa Harden, b. 26 Feb 1820 at Perrysburg, Cattaragus, NY:
      Ellen Alice b. 16 Dec 1865.
      Delilah Jane b. 8 Aug 1867.
      Susan Clarissa b. 10 Mar 1868 at Moroni, Sanpete, Utah.
      Emma Dale b. 9 Jan 1871.
      John Willard b. 24 May 1874.
      Sarah Etta b. 9 Sep 1876.
      Ida Estella b. 20 Apr 1878.
      Amanda Melvina b. 9 May 1880.
      Martha Pearl b. 26 Jun 1882.
      Warren Le Roy b. 24 Nov 1884.
      Carrie Adelaide Draper b. 6 Jul 1885.

      4. From the book "History of Piute County" by Linda King Newell: "Michael married Ellen Alvina Wilhelm in 1892, at age 59. Ellen was a widow, the second polygamous wife of William Lothrop [William Lothrop Draper]. William had died in 1886, leaving Ellen with seven children still at home. Ellen was the mother of eleven Lothrop Children. Michael Stoker resented having to help raise Ellen's children, so they placed Martha, age 10 (Martha Pearl Draper), the ninth Child, and her sister Ida in homes where they could work for their room and board and a few extra pennies. Ellen and Michael divorced May 11, 1896 (age 63) when Martha was 15; then the sisters returned home to their mother's one-room log home with a dirt floor. Ellen made carpet and braided rugs for a living. She also received a lot of help from the Church and from Martha. Martha married at age 21 to Arthur A. Wooley."

      5. FHL film 26044 LDS Membership Records for Junction Ward, Panguitch Stake, Utah, p. 50, Junction Ward was created 19 Mar 1887 when the Kingston Ward was dissolved and two new wards created: Junction and Circle View.
      Michael Stoker, b. 9 Sep ___ at Ohio to David Stoker, Seventy.
      John W. Stoker, b. 12 Sep 1856 at Springville, Utah, Utah, to Michael Stoker and Polly B. Hews, Elder
      Almina Stoker, b. 6 Sep 1865 at Summit, Iron, Utah, to Michael Stoker and Polly B. Hews
      David W. Stoker, b. 1 Apr 1860, to Michael Stoker and Polly B. Hews, ordained an Elder by J.W. Bay on 21 May 1882.
      Ellen Draper Stoker, received Sept. 1892 from Juab, Juab Co.
      Note accompanies entry: Ward divided; now in Junction Ward.

      BIOGRAPHY:
      1. Typescript of unknown origin but probably from the daughters of Utah Pioneers; pages are handnumbered 52 and 53 and a photo accompanies the article. Copy on file with me. Text with some typographical errors corrected by myself: "Ellen Alvina Wilhelm Draper. Ellen Alvina Wilhelm, the second wife of William Lathrop (Doc) Draper, was born at Nauvoo, Illinois, May 25, 1847, during the most critical period in the history of the Mormon Church. Of course, Ellen was not aware of this at the time. Her mother married John Wilhelm. Four years after their marriage they were converted to Mormonism in 1842 and immediately thereafter began preparing to move to Nauvoo, Illinois. In 1844 they abandoned everything they could not carry and joined the Saints in Illinois. They lived on a farm seven miles out from Nauvoo. Here they lived and worked until mob activities became so hostile thay were compelled to return to Nauvoo where they began to make preparations to go West as many of the Saints had already done. Ellen was on month old when her parents crossed the Mississippi River and headed for the big camp on the Missouri River, where final preparations were made by all the companies for the final plunge into the wilderness. The Wilhelms were far from ready for this ordeal, so they settled at a new camp on the Mosuna River, where they watched people come and go until 1849. Ellen's father died at Weston, Missouri, March 8, 1851, before she was four years old. She did not ever, therefore, enjoy the love and guidance of a father, but her mother, Clarissa Harden Wilhelm, had enough courage, stamina and resourcefulness to fill the place of both mother and father. In April 18, 1851 with three children, Ellen the youngest, they crossed the plains and entered the Salt Lake Valley, June 2, 1851. They continued to drift southward; they moved to Springville and then to Spanish Fork, where they met the Drapers who had been living here since 1857. It was then that the church leaders thought it time to settle the upper reaches of the Virgin River near Zion's Canyon, and with that in mind they asked certain members of the Draper, Terry and Green families to try their hands at raising cotton and semi-tropical fruits in that area, this they did. Among them were William L. (Doc) Draper, Zemeia Draper, whose wife was Amy Terry Jacob and Clarrissa Wilhelm Terry (who had remarried and divorced) and the Green family moved to this remote area in 1862. Young Ellen Wilhelm was 15 years old and the next year, 1863, Doc Draper made her his wife. Up to this time the story of her life is submerged in that of her mother. Her independant life began at the age of sixteen, but she entered a household where her husband's first wife, Ann Etta Eckersley, became her friend, companion and guide. [That] Ellen loved and respected the older wife is shown by the fact that she gave to her fifth daughter the name of Etta. After marriage she shared the life of the family, the triumphs and defeats of a united family, and in due course she became the mother of eleven children. She had the misfortune of becoming a widow two years after her last child was born. Her husband was dragged by a horse and died from the result of it May 3, 1887, at Freedom, Utah. Her children are as follows: Ellen Alice, Delilah Jane, Susan Clarissa, Emma Dale, John Willard, Sarah Etta, Ida Estella, Amanda M., Martha Pearl, Warren LeRoy, and Carrie A. Ellen remained on at Freedom for a year, after which she disposed of her property and moved to the town of Juab, Juab County. Ellen had some of the courage and independance of her mother and fortunately in spite of all the wandering of her parents during her early life, she acquired enough education to become a teacher in pioneer communities and while at Juab, she was employed to teach at Little Salt Creek in Juab County. In 1892-3 she married Michael Stoker of Junction, Piute County, where she then moved to make her home taking two children with her (Etta and Pearl). After two years the marriage failed and she then ran her own 'shebang' (weaving rugs) to make a living which she did successfully until 1920 when her health began to fail. She then went to live with her daughter Emma Draper Chase in Nephi and later with her daughter Pearl Draper Woolley at Vernal. She was an intelligent and informed conversationalist. She died July 11, 1939 at the age of 92. Submitted by a daughter: Martha Pearl Draper Woolley."

      BIRTH:
      1. Some posted family group sheets show birth as May 25, 1846 in Nauvoo. Daughter's biography above shows birth as same date in 1847 and mentions that she was 92 when she died in July of 1939. One problem however with the 1847 date is that it would put the Wilhelm family still in Nauvoo a year and half after the general exodus beginning Feb. of 1846; there were some who remained and did in fact leave later but I am not sure if this was the case or not with the Wilhelms. The date on her tombstone reads May 25, 1846 - July 11, 1939.

      2. FHL film 392688 "LDS Patriarchal Blessings Index": Ellen A. Withelm Stoker, b. 25 May 1846 at Nauvoo, parents John D. Withelm and Clarissa Hardingin. Blessing date 16 Jul 1894 at Junction, Piute, Utah. Lineage: Ephraim. Patriarch Joseph L. Heywood. Vol. 164, p. 60.

      MARRIAGE:
      1. Online "BYU Idaho Western States Historical Marriage Record Index": Michael Stoker of Junction, Piute, UT and Mrs. Ellen A. Draper of Juab, Juab, Utah, married Jul 1892 (9 July ?) at Nephi. Record of Piute County, Utah, v. J1, p. 101a.

      2. Divorce of Michael Stoker and Ellen Wilhelm:
      a. "Piute District Court, Minute Book A (3 Feb 1896 - 1 Dec 1922)," pp. 9-10, May 11th, 1896 per FHL film 497779: "Michael Stoker vs. Ellen A. Stoker. There come Michael Stoker plaintiff and Ellen A. Stoker defendant, each appearing in person and by Attorney Samuel L. Page, attorney for the plaintiff, J.B. Jennings, attorney for the defendant. And by the agreement of the parties answer herein was allowed to be withdrawn and default of defendant was entered herein. Ordered to made a matter of record. And it appearing to the Court from legal testimony deduced vis. John Morrill and D.H. Stoker that the allegations of plaintiff's complaint are true, and for the reasons set fourth therein it is hereby ordered and decreed the bonds of matrimony hetofore [sic] existing between the plaintiff and defendant are desolved and it is further ordered that plaintiff be entitled to a decree extinguishing any liens upon or estate or interest therein to the real property mentioned in plaintiff's supplemental complaint, on file herein defendant may have acquired by reason of her said marriage to plaintiff." W.M. McCarty, Judge.
      b. "Piute District Court, Judgment Record, Book A, May 11, 1896 - Oct. 8, 1924," pp. 3-5, per FHL film 497792: "Case No. 2. In the District Court of the Sixth Judicial District, State of Utah, Piute County. Michael Stoker, Plaintiff, vs. Ellen A. Stoker, Defendant. Findings of Facts and Conclusions of Law. This cause having been heretofore this day submitted to the Court for decision, upon the complaint of the plaintiff, there being no answer on file and the defualt of the defendant having been duly entered, after hearing the argument of Samuel L. Page, Esq., Atty for the plaintiff and the court being fully advised now finds the following facts. First. That plaintiff and defendant were married one with the other at Juab County in the Territory of Utah on or about the first day of June A.D. 1892 and cohabited together as husband and wife from thence until the first day of September 1894. Second. That the plaintiff is and for more than one year just prior to the commencement of this action, has been an actual and bonafide resident of Piute County, Utah. Third. That on or about the first day of September A.D. 1894 the defendant wilfully and without cause deserted and abandonned the plaintiff, and ever since has and still continues so to wilfully and without cause desert and abandon the said plaintiff, and to live separate and apart from him without any sufficient cause or any reason therefor against his will or without his consent. Fourth. That the property mentioned in plaintiff's complaint on file herein was acquired by him previous to his said marriage with defendant and is therefore his individual property. As conclusions of law from the foregoing facts the court finds: First. That the plaintiff is entitled to a decree of this Court dissolving the bonds of matrimony heretofore existing between plaintiff and defendant, declaring that plaintiff and defendant, each of them be freed from and absolutely released from the bonds of matrimony and all the obligations thereof. Second. That plaintiff is entitled to a decree extinguishing any liens upon or estates or interests thereon to the real property mentioned in plaintiff's supplemental complaint on file herein, and that plaintiff take the same free from any estates or interests therein defendant may have acquired by reason of her said marriage to plaintiff either by reason of operation of law or otherwise. Done at Junction this 11th day of May 1896. (Signed) W.M. McCarty, Judge.
      Michael Stoker, plaintiff, vs. Ellen A. Stoker, defendant. Decree of Divorce. This cause having been brought on to be heard this 11th day of May A.D. 1896 upon the complaint and the supplemental complaint of the plaintiff above named, proofs taken in said action before the court from which it appears that all the material allegations of the complainant are true and that all the material allegations of the complaint and supplemental complaint are sustained by testimony free from all legal exceptons as to its competency, admissabilty and sufficiency; that said matter so alleged and proven in behalf of plaintiff are sufficent in law to entitle the plaintiff to the relief prayed for in his complaint and supplemental complaint, that plaintiff at the time of commencing this suit and for more than an year next prior thereto was an actual and bonafide resident of Piute County, Utah; On motion of Samuel L. Page counsel for plaintiff it is ordered, adjudged and decreed that the court by virtue of the power and authority therein vested and in pursuance of the statue in such case made and provided does order, adjudge, and decree that the marriage between the said plaintiff Michael Stoker and the said defendant Ellen A. Stoker be dissolved and the same is hereby dissolved accordingly and the said parties are and each of them is free and absolutely released from the bonds of matrimony and all the obligations thereof and it is further ordered and adjudged and decreed that any and all estates, rights or interests in, and liens upon, the real property mentioned in plaintiff's supplemental complaints defendant may have acquired by reasons of her said marriage to plaintiff either by operation of law or otherwise be and the same is hereby discharged and disolved. Done at Junction this 11th day of May 1896. (Signed) W.M. McCarty, Judge."