PIONEER WOMEN OF PAYSON

ELIZABETH MITCHELL BARNETT

    Eliza, her mother and several of her sisters could not deny their testimonies of the church and remained faithful to their new faith.  Eliza was very distraught at displeasing her father.  She  rise early on Sunday mornings and walk eight miles to attend services of the church.
    While Henry Westland Barnett was serving a mission, me became acquainted with Eliza.  Henry hailed from London, England.  They were later married on March 25, 1862 in a little town near  Newcastle on Tyne at the home of a friend.
      Shortly after their marriage, they left for America.  It took six weeks for the ship to reach the shores on America.  After arriving in American they took a thousand mile trek westward across the prairie where they lived in a dugout for a period of time.  The later traveled with the Homer Duncan Wagon Train on their travels to reach Zion.  They arrived on September 24, 1862 where they would make their new home.
    Eliza suffered through many trials and hardships.  Her family lived in extreme poverty at the time.  Her spirit was never overcome by the struggles she endured in her life in her new home.  She became the mother of thirteen children, seven boys and three girls.  Three of her children died as infants.
    Her husband, Henry, answered the call and served two more missions.  While he was away on his missionary service, Eliza was left to care for their home and children.  She was an expert dressmaker and helped her family make a living. 
    When they made their home in Payson, their home was outside the outskirts on the community.  With her husband away much of the time, she was left alone with her children.  During the Blackhawk War.  This was lasted from 1865 to 1872 in the area.  She faced whatever danger their was without any help.  She was a brave and faithful woman.
    Eliza served for many years on the local Old Folks Committee.  She was also called into church service in the women’s organizations of the church. She answered the call and was the counselor to the District Relief Society President.  She then served as a Primary Presidnet.
    Eliza passed away on December 19, 1950 in Payson at the age of seventy-five.  She was buried in the Payson Cemetery.  Her husband, Henry, joined her in the family plot almost two years later on November 14,1917.

   The missionaries serving in Aberdeen at the time taught the family the gospel of the new American church.  The entire family joined the church and were baptized members.  Due to the actions of a missionary, her father forbade his family to have anything to do with the church.

   Elizabeth Mitchell, Eliza as she was called, was born November 28, 1840 in Aberdeen, Scotland.  She was the daughter of William and Ellen Legg Mitchell.  Her family was early converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.