Hij had een relatie met Flora Lydia Shipp.
Part 1: A Story of Margaret Curtis Shipp Roberts and her husbands, Milford Bard Shipp and B. H. Roberts By Noël Neville Cardon September 2018Margaret Curtis was born on 17 December 1849 in St. Louis, Missouri and died 1924 in Brooklyn, New York. Margaret was called “Maggie” during her life, to distinguish her from her mother, whose name was also Margaret. PICTURE of Maggie as a young woman Maggie’s story Maggie’s parents were Margaret Morgan, who was born 20 April 1816 in Skenfrith, Monmouthshire, Wales and Theodore Curtis, who was born 20 January 1815 in Danbury, Fairfield, Connecticut. They were married in Nauvoo in 1845 and were sealed in the Nauvoo temple by Brigham Young in January of 1846. You can read the details of their lives in “A story of Theodore Curtis and Margaret Morgan” that this author wrote about them. Maggie’s mother, Margaret Morgan, was one of the early converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Wales. She showed great intelligence, creativity, skills, wisdom, strength, love, and courage during her short life of 50 years. She made the long voyage on a ship around Cape Horn, from New York to San Francisco, with her son, Walter, who was 3 years old, and daughter, Maggie, who was 2 years old. Meanwhile, her husband, Theodore, gathered supplies, wagons, and teams, and went by land to Utah to prepare a home for them. MAP of the route of the ship around Cape Horn: USA & South America Margaret cared for the children in the San Francisco area while living among friends and relatives until Theodore came for them in 1857and brought them to the Salt Lake Valley. Margaret must have taught her daughter well, as Maggie carried on bravely and kindly in meeting life’s challenges after her mother’s unexpected death on 7 September 1866 in San Francisco. She was cheerful, kind, and affectionate, articulate, a hard worker, a good manager, a skilled seamstress, and an inventor. Pictures of Theodore and Margaret Maggie’s father, Theodore Curtis, joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the age of 22 in New York City, and lived the rest of his life in its service. He was born in Danbury Connecticut on 20 January 1815. He knew and loved the prophet Joseph Smith. He was an educated, cultured, person. He was a hard worker who managed things well and provided for his families. He got a job as the janitor of the Tabernacle when he was 71 years old. He was 888 when he died on 24 April 1903 in Salt Lake City Utah. Theodore Curtis and Margaret Morgan were the parents of two children: Theodore Walter Curtis, born on 29 January 1848 in St. Louis, Missouri. Died 1 May 1930 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts. Margaret “Maggie” Curtis, (Our ancestor) born 17 December 1849 in St. Louis, Missouri. Died 13 March 1926 in Brooklyn, New York. PICTURE of Walter as young man After being driven from Nauvoo, most of the Saints went west across the Mississippi River into Iowa. But Theodore and Margaret traveled down the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri. Theodore had spent the winter of 1842-43 there, so he was familiar with it. They stayed there for about five years. Their first child, Theodore Walter Curtis, was named after his father, Theodore, and Margaret’s brother, Walter, who had stayed in England. In this story, he’ll be called “T. Walter” to distinguish him from his nephew, Walter Curtis Shipp. Their daughter, Maggie, was born in St. Louis on 17 December 1849. Maggie and T. Walter spent five years of their childhood in California with their mother, learning and growing. Their mother taught them well, and they probably attended school with the other Mormon immigrants in the area. Their father‘s sister, Olive Olivia Curtis Coombs and her family were in California, as they had gone around the Horn in the Ship Brooklyn in 1847. Theodore came for them in 1855 and stayed there for two years, as he was called to go there as a missionary. He helped to guide a large group of Saints across the Sierra Nevada Mountains with their wagons and herds, to arrive in the Valley in 1857. Now, the entire family of Theodore and Margaret were in Salt Lake City. T. Walter was 9 years old and Maggie was 8. Over the next nine years, the family prospered and T. Walter and Maggie had opportunities for education and culture in Salt Lake City. Theodore’s trade was in carding wool, and in fact, he had brought the first wool carding machine to Utah with him when he crossed the plains. His wife, Margaret, added to the family’s income by doing expert tailoring and dress making. Quoting from a Biography of Margaret Curtis Shipp Roberts by Millie Detta Neville Holyoak, “Maggie was a brilliant child and had an intense thirst for knowledge. Brigham Young recognized this remarkable ability in her and invited her to attend his private school with his own children. Mr. Bartlett Tripp was the teacher at the time. He was a good teacher, but was a strict disciplinarian. Maggie excelled in school. She learned discipline that she would exercise on herself and encourage in those around her all during her life. Rulon Wells, a fellow student, remembered her as being brilliant in school and having a magnetic personality. “ In 1866, Maggie was boarding with President Brigham Young’s family while she attended their private school. Among Maggie's acquaintances at that time were Ellis Reynolds, Maria Young (and many of the other Young children), Milford Bard Shipp, Flora Lydia Shipp, Romania Bunnell (who later became Romania Pratt, Utah’s first woman physician), Rulon Wells, his sister, and many children of the notable early Utahans. Her brother, T. Walter, was attending school in the 18th Ward, also with Mr. Tripp as his school teacher. Maggie was now 17 years old. She began to receive much romantic attention from Milford Bard Shipp, who was eight years older than she, and was already married to Ellis Reynolds. He must have been quite charming. The next year, 1867, was a tragic year for Maggie’s family. Her mother, who was an enterprising woman, determined to make a trip to San Francisco to sell her mathematical dress models, hoping to eventually obtain a copyright for her invention, as this was not possible in Utah. Margaret took Maggie’s brother, T. Walter, who was now 19 years old, with her on what would be her final trip to San Francisco. PICTURE Brigham Young Margaret Morgan and Theodore Curtis had known Brigham Young when he was on a mission in England, and also in Nauvoo, so they were his friends. Margaret wrote the following letter to President Young in November, just a month before she died in San Francisco: San Francisco, November 5, 1867 President Young Dear Brother, I should have sent sooner to ask you what we owe you for Maggie's board, but I have been miserable since I have been here. I have not been able to do as I wanted here. I am thankful to say I am now much better and doing good business. My aim is to establish my business here and then sell my copyright to raise money to buy us a home in Salt Lake. This is my great desire and I feel that I should accomplish it and still have means coming from other parts for my models to keep us when we are too old to work. --This is not what I took my pen for, 'twas to ask you what Maggie's board comes to and if you feel like taking the machine in part. Mr. Curtis will fix the machine if it does not work well. I am Sir, Yours with the Highest esteem, Margaret Curtis Millie Neville Holyoak wrote the following about Margaret’s death: “While in San Francisco, Margaret suffered from severe chest pains. She tried to not let it slow her down, but on 11 December 1867 Margaret Morgan Curtis died from what was probably Angina Pectoris (heart disease).” Margaret Morgan Curtis was buried on 12 December 1867 in Laurel Hill Cemetery in San Francisco. It fell to young T. Walter to make arrangements for his mother’s burial in California and then to travel back to Utah by himself. Heidi Phillips wrote in her biography of Maggie that, “Even though Margaret never reached the goal she had strived for, the sale of her dress models for $5 each later helped to fund the medical education of her daughter, Maggie.” Margaret’s death in December of 1867 was a great shock and terrible loss to her husband and children. It dramatically changed the life of Maggie, who was 18 years old. To be left motherless, having had no chance to say goodbye or to mourn her at a funeral service, left Maggie without the steadying influence of her mother, who had always been at her side. One can imagine Maggie, at this time, shaken and grieving. Now Maggie’s lot might be to watch over her father and brother, rather than being watched over by her mother. Her father had probably traded his wool carding machine to Brigham Young as payment for Maggie’s board, as he started advertising as a “sack maker” rather than “wool carder ”at this time. Maggie was romantically attracted to Milford Bard Shipp, as he was a handsome, erudite man, was highly cultured, and had a firm testimony of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was well aware of Maggie’s situation, and asked her to marry him right away. When she went to Brigham Young to ask his advice on marrying Milford, Brigham advised that she should not marry him. She was young, with a promising life ahead of her, and Milford was 31 years old. He had already been divorced twice, and currently was married to Maggie’s friend, Ellis Reynolds, so Maggie would be entering into a plural marriage. But, Maggie followed her young heart, rather than the prophet’s counsel. Even though she had seen the failure of her father’s plural marriage to Jane Mace five years earlier, she thought she could have a happy life in Milford and Ellis’s family. Milford’s father, Austin Shipp, had opened a retail business in Fillmore, Utah, and had given Milford a job to run it. Maggie had reason to believe it would be a success. Maggie Curtis had lost her mother on 11 December 1867. Six days later, on17 December 1867, she turned 18. Two weeks after that, on 31 December 1867, she was married to Milford Bard Shipp. It is not known whether her brother, T. Walter, was back from California in time for the wedding. Maggie and Milford Bard Shipp were sealed in the Endowment House on December 31, 1867. About Milford Bard Shipp PICTURE of Milford Milford was her first husband, but due to circumstances which will be described, she ended her marriage to him and later became acquainted with B. H. Roberts, whom she married. Maggie went to the Church authorities and had her marriage sealing to Milford cancelled on 15 June 1888 and again on 4 March 1890. Because Maggie was eventually sealed to B. H. Roberts (9 August 2003, St. George Temple), our family has wondered whether we should follow the sealing line of B. H. or the biological line of Milford. Since Maggie did not have any children with B. H. Roberts, and because she did have nine children with Milford, and we have inherited his biological legacy and ancestral heritage, we believe he must be included in Maggie’s story. Details about Milford’s youth can be read in “A Story of Austin Shipp and Louisa Caroline Farnsworth” which this author wrote about his parents. PICTURE of Austin and Louisa Caroline Milford Bard Shipp was born on 3 March 1836 in Edinburgh, Johnson, Indiana, the eldest child of Austin Shipp and Louisa Caroline Farnsworth. His Parents named him after a popular poet of their time, “Milford Bard.” The family was affluent, as Austin ship was a successful merchant. Milford had opportunities for education and culture. Milford’s sister, Flora, played the piano and Milford played the violin. He had studied such things as Latin, Greek, Philosophy, History, Algebra, Geometry, and Rhetoric. In 1849, Milford became interested in the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was baptized on 14 October 1857. He went to Utah, to see what the Mormons were like when he was 23 years old, crossing the plains on his own with a company of pioneers who were his acquaintances. His college sweetheart and fiancée was Cornelia “Nelly” Winn. After four years of engagement, they were married on 15 May 1861 in Indiana. Milford believed Nelly would eventually accept his religion, but neither she nor any of her family did, as they were all staunch Methodists. The next year, a baby boy was born to Milford and Cornelia on 3 March 1862. Five months later, Milford received a call from his church go to England as a missionary. He left right away, thinking Cornelia would understand. But, she did not. She was deeply hurt by his actions, suddenly leaving her and her 5-month old baby for two years. She and her family turned against Milford. Nellie procured a divorce on the grounds of religion, took back her maiden name, and raised her child as a Winn. That year, the Austin Shipp family decided it was time for them to leave Indiana. (Looking back we can only conjecture, but probably some hard feelings over Milford and Cornelia’s unhappy situation occurred between the two families.) The Shipps wrote to Milford and asked him to come home early from his mission so he could help them get ready for the move. Milford was released after 8 months in England. In 1863 Milford and his family left for Utah. (Some stories say his father stayed behind for a year and then joined them.) Once in Utah, Milford was often invited by Brigham Young to travel with the Brethern and give talks at outlying congregations of the Church. During this time, Milford courted a young woman he met, named Alice Eldridge, and she married him on 19 November 1864. This second marriage did not last long, however. Alice left him about a year after they were married, in 1865. Ellis Reynolds, who was currently attending Brigham Young's private school with Maggie, had admired this handsome, eloquent man from afar. He courted her and married her the next year, on 5 May 1866. Their first child, whom they named Milford Bard II, was born on 24 February 1867, a month after Milford and Maggie were married. Up to this point, Milford now had two wives and one child. Maggie Curtis Shipp’s life with Milford Bard Shipp Normally, the children of Milford Shipp and Maggie Curtis would be listed here. But, due to Milford’s four polygamous marriages, a list of all of his children, with the name of each child’s mother, follows: 1. Milford Bard Shipp II, (Ellis) born 24 February 1867 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 11 June 1919 in Salt Lake City, Utah 2. William Austin Shipp, (Ellis) born 11 April 1868 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 14 December 1868 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 3. Walter Curtis Shipp, (Maggie) born 20 February 1869 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 24 October 1914 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 4. Richard Asbury Shipp, (Ellis) born 27 May 1869 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 12 February 1937 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 5. Carl Lynn Shipp, (Maggie) born 30 April 1872 in Salt lake City, Utah. Died 30 March 1873 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 6. Anna Shipp, (Ellis), born 8 April 1872. in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 29 September 1872 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 7. John Hillstead Shipp, (Lizzie) born 23 August 1872. Died 22 August 1873 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 8. Bert Reynolds Shipp, (Ellis) born 22 September 1873 in Salt Lake city, Utah. Died 5 November 1879 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 9. Milfordetta (Detta) Shipp (Our ancestor) (Maggie), born 17 October 1874. Died 11 February 1964 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 10. Bardella Shipp, (Lizzie) born 28 November 1874 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 20 January 1957 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 11. Louisa Caroline Shipp, (Maggie), born 6 August 1876 in Salt lake City, Utah. Died 24 March 1914 in Portland, Multnomah, Oregon. 12. Henry Absalom Shipp (Mary), born 5 November 1876 in Draper, Utah. Died 20 August 1877 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 13. Olea Shipp (Ellis) born May 1877 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Died 23 July 1954 in Groveland, Bingham, Idaho 14. Mary Charlotte Shipp (Lizzie) born April 1877 in Salt Lake City , Utah. Died 30 October 1930 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 15. Margaret Curtis Shipp, (Maggie) born 14 February 1878 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Died 8 October 1893 in Salt Lake city, Utah. 16. George Cottrell Shipp, (Mary) born 19 July 1878 in Draper, Utah. Died 12 July 1933 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 17. Ellis Reynolds Shipp, (Ellis) born 24 July 1879 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 3 January 1966 in San Francisco, California 18. Alvin David Shipp, (Lizzie) in born 21 February 1880 Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 21 May1880 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 19. Lida Shipp, (Lizzie) born 21 February 1880 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 2 March 1903 in Salt Lake City. Utah. 20. Mary Shipp, (Mary) born 8 August 1880 in Draper, Utah. Died 17 April 1948 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 21. Morgan Farnsworth Shipp, (Maggie) born 4 November 1880 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 14 June 1881 in Salt Lake city, Utah. 22. Reuben Gray Shipp, (Lizzie) born 22 February 1882 in Salt Lake city, Utah. Died 13 April 1884 in Salt Lake city, Utah. 23. Gross Agnew Shipp, (Maggie) born 23 February 1882 in Salt Lake City. Died 19 February 1883 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 24. Catherine Shipp, (Mary) born 12 November 1882 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 12 March 1888 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 25. Ambrose Pere Shipp, (Ellis) born 30 November 1882 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 26 May 1883 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 26. Wallace Bruce Shipp, (Maggie) born 28 August 1883 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 20 December 1888 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 27. Elizabeth Shipp, (Lizzie) born 7 April 1884 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 1 April 1969 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 28. Eleanor Shipp, (Mary) born 10 March 1885 in Draper, Utah. Died 10 July 1942 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 29. Paul Elbert Shipp, (Ellis) born 19 May 1885 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 19 August 1885 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 30. Theodore Clair Shipp (Maggie) born 28 January 1886. Died 8 October 1889 I Salt Lake City, Utah. 31. Nellie Shipp, (Ellis) born 9 September 1889 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Died 14 April 1966 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 32. Jacob Edward Shipp, (Mary) born 28 December 1889 in Manassa, Conejos, Colorado. Died 17 January 1958 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Of his 32 children, 15 died in childhood. Six of Maggie’s nine children died before reaching the age of 6. In 1867 Milford and Maggie lived in Fillmore while he managed a store which his father, Austin Shipp, had set up there. Milford’s efforts to make a living with the store failed, and he moved back to Salt Lake City, bringing Maggie to live in his house in Salt Lake City with Ellis and her baby, Bard. Maggie wrote the following letter to Ellis when she knew she and Milford would soon be joining her: Fillmore, 2 May 1868 “Dear Ellis, Hoping you will pardon this long delay, I will now make an effort to answer your welcome letter by giving you a few of my views. Our destinies are now inseparable- our home is one. That which is dearest on earth to one is to the other. Shall we have a peaceful happy home? I know with all our heart we answer “Yes". It depends almost entirely on us whether we have such a one or not. Happiness does not come unsought for. Oh! Shall we not exert ourselves to our utmost! Is it not worth devoting our whole time to make a happy home? …. A woman is composed of so much self-interest that she must overcome. It will be best for us to think: ‘The greatest happiness I can bring to myself is to bring happiness to him.’ Our interests are together; our lives are now together. Our efforts will be to please the same one. Let us work together to make our home happy. The effect of a smile on a woman's face is like the sun when peeping through the dark clouds on a dark, drearisome day. A kind word was never thrown away. And now dear Eilis, with a resolution and fixed determination that we will live in such a manner that we may enjoy that good and holy spirit, which is bestowed upon those that live for it, let us enter our new home. You know it is easier to preach than practice, but still I fancy a bright future for us, even in this world. We are both anxious to improve and we can be of great benefit to each other. Yes, Ellis, we can confer much happiness to one another. Well, I hope I have not wearied your patience. Hoping soon to be with you, I will close. Ever your friend and sister, Maggie. Oh'. I came nearly forgetting, Kiss your Little Bard for me.” One can see that Maggie had a kind nature, and was hoping to keep peace with Ellis. She expressed optimistic ideas of how they could get along. It appears that Milford was good at reading books, giving discourses, sharing his beliefs, envisioning things, and courting women, but was not competent at putting his ideas into action. His daughter, Bardella, noted that he was a prideful man, and his failures hurt his pride. My purpose is not to be negative about Milford, but on studying him, one can conclude that he was educated for life as a gentleman, and was not prepared for the rigors of pioneer life in Salt Lake City in the 1800s. In April of 1868 Ellis bore a son, William. Two months later, on 20 February 1869, Maggie’s son, Walter Curtis Shipp, was born. Baby William died on 14 December 1868. Ellis was still grieving and Maggie’s baby was two months old when Milford left on a mission to England for two years. A month after Milford’s departure, Ellis bore another son, Richard, on 27 May 1869. Maggie and Ellis got along the best they could until Milford returned in 1871. Maggie was a skilled seamstress, as her mother had taught her how, and she was a good manager. In 1871, an unexpected change came into Maggie and Ellis’s life, as Milford brought a family named Hillstead back from England with him. He invited them to stay in their already crowded house in Salt Lake City until they could get settled. Milford soon took the Hillstead family with him to Arizona to raise cotton, as he was called by the Brethren to take some new settlers there. The Hillsteads were English, had no idea of raising cotton or guiding oxen, and they couldn’t tolerate the desert climate, so they came back from the unsuccessful venture with Milford. Meantime, Milford did have success in winning the heart of the Hillstead’s daughter, Lizzie. On 20 Oct. 1871 Milford married Mary Elizabeth (Lizzie) Hillstead, who was 18 years old, as his third wife. Also in 1871, Maggie’s brother, T. Walter Curtis, married Milford’s sister, Flora Lydia Shipp, on the 20th of November. In the year of 1872, things got worse for Maggie. Milford’s three families were crowded into his two-story adobe house in the 11th Ward in Salt Lake City. All three of his wives were pregnant, and there were three little boys running around the house. Bard was 5, Walter C. 3, and Richard 3 years old. It was a challenge to keep order in the home. That same year, three more babies were born. On 8 April 1872, Ellis’s bore Anna Shipp. A few weeks later, on 30 April 1872, Maggie bore Carl Lynn Shipp. Then on 22 August 1872, Lizzie bore John Hillstead Shipp. Midwives were called to deliver the babies, as none of Milford’s wives were trained in this skill. The new mothers were recovering from the births of their babies, and one can only imagine how they did the washing, cooking, and cleaning for the many inhabitants, as well as caring for three new babies in their house without modern conveniences, such as an indoor bathroom.. Milford was called to go on a local mission to Draper that year, 1872. His daughter, Bardella Shipp Curtis wrote this: “In was the practice in the Church to put all retuned missionaries on the Home Mission. By appointment, these missionaries would be the speaker on Sunday evenings in the different wards of the stake. At one of these meetings in Draper, Father met young Mary Smith. In the outlying towns it was often impossible to return home that same night. This was the case with missionaries sent to Draper. He was asked to stay at the Smith home for the night. He was very much impressed with young Mary Smith, and was able to get appointments that he might court the girl. On Sunday evenings, the two would sit close to the stove with their feet in the oven to keep them warm. Father would relate in his best story fashion hi missionary experiences and his ambitions and plans for the future, to impress the girl that her prospect as his wife would be bright.” Millie Neville Holyoak wrote the following about 1873: “Mary was 16 at the time of her marriage on 10 February 1873 to Milford), and he was 37 years old. The age difference did not deter Mary, however. She considered it a privilege to receive the attention of such a great servant of the Lord. Mary was a welcome addition to the household. She loved children, and the children loved ‘Aunt Mary.’ Just after this, the four wives go together and had a photo take for Minford’s 38th birthday. PICTURE of the 4 wives All of the wives Milford chose were intelligent women. They worked hard to live the law of polygamy to the best of their abilities, as they all believed it was a true law. Early in 1873, Maggie’s baby, Carl Lynn, was critically ill. In spite of all she could do, he died on 30 March. A funeral was held for her baby in the 11th Ward. This made her anxious about Walter C’s health, and she became exhausted from caring for him when he became ill. Illness struck Lizzie’s baby, John HiIlstead, also, and he died on 22 August 1873. In 1874, Milford hoped to support his wives by planting tomatoes on his property in Sugar House (southeast of Salt Lake City). He transferred Ellis and her family there to grow the tomatoes and went to Salt Lake to start a cannery, and a piece appeared in the Deseret News about the opening. But on October 8, Milford was called on a mission to Canada. He left that month, leaving Maggie and Lizzie in the last months of pregnancy and the cannery without his management.. A week later, on October 17 1874, Maggie’s daughter, Milfordetta Shipp, was born. She was a healthy baby with brown eyes and dimples. Lizzie’s daughter, Bardella, was born a month later on 28 November 1874. (Both girls were named after their father, hoping to please him, and both grew to maturity together, almost like twins.) The tomato cannery could not be run by the wives alone. Ellis was harvesting the tomatoes, and they were all busy taking care of their children. The cannery went to other hands and the wives did their best to carry on without their husband. No financial profit was made from this venture. Medical School During this time, President Brigham Young was concerned about the health of his people, especially the women and children. In 1872 he had called Romania Bunnell Pratt to go to a women’s medical college in Philadelphia to study medicine. She had overcome many obstacles to obtain her degree in 1875. Knowing of Maggie’s strong mental abilities and thirst for knowledge, Brigham asked her if she would go to Philadelphia to study medicine. Maggie had some limited means through her mother’s legacy, so she was able to accept. She made arrangements with the other wives to care for Walter, who was now 6 years old, and her 9 month old baby, Milfordetta (who was called “Detta” during her life). Maggie left for Philadelphia on October 12, hoping to increase her knowledge and use the skills of medicine to improve the health of her family and others. Milford also thought he might become a doctor, so he mortgaged their home for funds, was set apart on 16 October 1875 as a missionary to the United States (Philadelphia), and enrolled in the Jefferson College of medicine. He joined Maggie in Philadelphia. Our father, Sherrill West Neville, said this about the situation: “. . . My grandmother left her kids in the care of the other wives and travelled off to Philadelphia. My mother said that no one wrote to Grandma about how her children were getting along, and after several weeks, Grandma got panicky and returned to Utah to find out about things.” Railroad travel from Salt Lake to the east was now possible, making the journey less arduous and time-consuming. When Maggie returned to Salt Lake in November, Ellis Reynolds Shipp saw her chance to become a doctor. She went to Brigham Young and asked if she could go study medicine, and he gave permission. She borrowed some money and left in a few weeks for Philadelphia. The other three wives cared for her children, Bard, Richard, and Bert, during the next two years while she was gone. Maggie made sure to take good care of them, and she wrote encouraging letters and sent some money to Ellis while she completed her medical degree. In her letters, she told Ellis to stay in school and get her degree so she could improve her children’s chances for a better life. In a letter dated January 2, 1875, Maggie admitted that she appreciated Milford’s kindness to his wives and children “if they only try to please him” but that she would again leave home “for the consideration of gaining knowledge and being useful in life.” “...No, we must get out of this; our children must have a beautiful home; splendid advantages or they will be as they have been. I do not blame the boys. They are dearer to me today than they ever were, for I see and understand their situation and wonder they are not much worse. . . .. The folks are so noisy. Three of us trying to write, the table covered with nuts, don't you think. I can't eat any candy. The sight of it will make me sick, too bad, for the folks have been feasting for the last during their mother’s absence.” In November of 1877, Maggie was able to return to medical school. She left her three children, Walter, age 8, Detta, age 3, and Louisa Caroline, who was 3 months old, in the care of the fourth wife, Mary, who was a favorite “aunt” of the children, and was also helping with all of them. Maggie, Ellis, and Milford were now in Philadelphia. On 25 May 1877, Ellis gave birth to Olea Shipp in Philadelphia. Then, on 14 February 1878, Maggie gave birth to a daughter, Margaret Curtis Shipp in Philadelphia. Milford went back to Utah, as he was exhausted from his medical studies, and started studying law instead. He went by the title of “Doctor” now, but never practiced medicine. He completed his studies and passed the bar exam, but never set up a law practice. Maggie finished the year’s studies, with her babe close by. Ellis finished her medical degree that spring (14 March 1878), also with her babe close by, and returned to Utah. Maggie must have returned to Utah for a short time, perhaps to bring her baby to be cared for while she finished medical school. On 13August 1878, Maggie Shipp, Ellis Shipp, Romania Pratt, and Martha Paul were set apart by John Taylor to practice medicine among the Saints. On 24 July 1879, Ellis bore a daughter, Ellis Reynolds Shipp, and soon set up an office in Salt Lake City. Then illness struck the Shipp household. Bardella Shipp Curtis wrote the following about 1880: “In the early months of 1880, tragedy struck in the form of the dread disease, diphtheria. Facilities for isolation of the stricken patients and adequate means for eradicating the disease were not available. The only means to prevent the spreading of the disease was to remove the children not stricken and when health retuned to the sick one, the absent ones were brought back and it was thought all was well. …in November Milford’s entire family, both old and young, were stricken. Even those who had just recovered were down again and not until it was discovered that the dread germs were lurking in the pig sty were they able to free their home from the plague. Pig and sty had to go.” Maggie was still in medical school from September to November of 1880, but on 4 November 1880, Maggie apparently went to Salt Lake, perhaps to help take care of the sick family. She bore a son, Morgan Farnsworth Shipp while there. He died seven months later, on 14 June 1881. It is not clear when Maggie went back to Philadelphia, but she was pregnant when she went back. In 1882, all four of Milford’s wives had babies. Lizzie on February 22, Maggie on the next day, Mary on 12 November, and Ellis on 30 November. Maggie’s son, whom she named Gross Agnew after one of her professors, was born on 23 February 1882. All during 1882, Maggie worked furiously in order to get her classwork finished by March of 1883. It appears that Maggie traveled back and forth between Utah and Pennsylvania several times while trying to care for her sick family and finish her medical degree. She heard the terrible news from home on 19 February 1883 that her one-year old son, Gross Agnew, had died. Millie Neville Holyoak wrote in her biography of Maggie: “When she received news from Salt Lake that Gross Agnew had died, it was the end of her endurance. Although it was still a few weeks before final examinations, Maggie knew that there would only be review for the remaining time. She approached her professor and requested to take her examination early so that she could return home. She was told that the tests were not compiled or printed yet and that she would have to wait. She told him that she would know just as much now as she would if she waited, so would they please ask her whatever they needed in order to certify her. Her sympathetic professors agreed and gave her three days of oral tests, which she passed easily. She obtained her certificate and returned home to her three living children and husband. Her medical certificate is dated March 1883.” PICTURE of her certificate Maggie’s life as a medical doctor and teacher of nurses In 1883, Maggie started her medical practice, which made it necessary for her to travel to many outlying areas around Salt Lake, leaving her children (Walter C. age 14, Milfordetta age 9, Louisa Caroline age7, and Margaret C. age 5) for long hours. Millie Neville Holyoak wrote the following: “Her friend, Romania Bunnell Pratt, who had attended Brigham Young’s school with her, was now established as the resident physician at the Deseret Hospital. She saw what Maggie was enduring, and knew from her own experience of leaving one’s children so much for so little economic gain. She told her friend to put a stop to it. Romania found Maggie a place for an office, paid rent for the first few months, and assisted her in building up her clientele. She was listed as Dr. Maggie C. Shipp, Medicine and minor surgery, specializing in obstetrics.” On 28 August 1883, the affectionate Maggie gave birth to Wallace Bruce Shipp. There were now eleven children living in Milford’s home. In 1884, Milford still needed a way to support his families, so he thought he could use the medical training of Ellis and Maggie to start a hospital for women. He brought four patients into their heavily-mortgaged, already crowded home, as he couldn’t buy a building. At this time, according to his daughter Bardella’s account, subpoenas were issued for Milford and his wives under the Edmunds Tucker Act by federal officers, which meant they could be fined and put in jail for several months. The patients were transferred to the Deseret Hospital. Milford was sent on a mission to England for a year in order to avoid arrest. The four wives were still in some danger from the law, so Lizzie was sent to Fillmore and Mary went to Draper to live with her parents to avoid arrest. Maggie moved her children and belongings into her office. It was 1885, and it fell upon Dr. Maggie Shipp to support herself and her family. Fortunately, she had her medical practice. Maggie’s son, Walter, was 16, Detta was 11, Louisa Caroline was 9 years old, Maggie C. was 7, and Wallace Bruce was 2 years old. She depended on Walter and Detta to care for the younger ones while she was away on calls. She was always to be on the alert for the federal officers, and was instructed not to open the door for anyone unless they knocked three times. Our family still carried on this “Knock 3 times” tradition as we were growing up. Milford came home from his 1884 mission in 1885, and then went on another mission in 1886. He must have taken turns living with his different wives, as three more children were born to them in 1885 and 1886. Maggie gave birth to her last child, Theodore Claire, on 28 January 1886. Now, the older children were also in charge of the care for this baby while their mother was working. In 1888, Maggie sometimes kept long hours, which was hard on the children. Sickness abounded, partly perhaps because of the cold weather and cramped conditions in Maggie’s office. On 20 Dec 1888, Detta’s brother, Wallace Bruce Shipp, died of diphtheria at the age of 5. Walter C. was 20, Detta was 15, Louisa Carline was 13, and Margaret C. was 11. Their little brother, Theodore Clair Shipp, died on 8 October 1889 of membranous croup at the age of 3. This was especially traumatic for Detta, as family tradition states that Wallace Bruce and Theodore Clair each died in her arms while she was tending them. As her grandchildren, we can understand why Detta never wanted to tend children for other people. Milford went to prison in 1889 for polygamy. Family tradition says that Maggie divorced Milford at this time. There were few civil divorces in Utah, and no divorce records are available, but she did have her sealing to Milford cancelled in 1888 (by Wilford Woodruff) under the name of Margaret and again had it cancelled again in 1890, this time under the name of Maggie. Perhaps this was done to protect herself and Milford from the anti-polygamy laws. The lives of polygamous families were disrupted because of the heavy persecution they received during these years. The presidency of the Church had to go into hiding, the Church’s properties were being confiscated and fines and prison sentences were being levied against the people who were arrested. Maggie and the children had to move often to avoid the law, and her address was not always given. But, “by 1889, Maggie was entering the happier part of her life. She and her four children were working hard to make life the way she had envisioned it.” Millie N. Holyoak’s biography) They could afford to rent a place, and no longer had to live in her office. She began to go by the name of Margaret (a more distinguished name) in public, as her career as a doctor and teacher was growing, as well as her self-confidence. In her teaching career, she not only taught her students how to be successful as nurses, she also taught them how to be good women. It is apparent that she drew upon the teaching her mother had given her. She taught that, “a woman’s character should be crowned with the traits of sweetness, tenderness, and affection,” which she displayed throughout her own life.
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