History of Elizabeth Brooks (From “The Life and Wives of Milo Andrus”)

“The Life and Wives of Milo Andrus” is a readers’ theater play researched and written by Laura Anderson and DeLane Andrus Hyer in 2007.  In the play, the histories of Milo and his wives are presented in first person. This is the part of the play about Elizabeth Brooks. Go here to read the entire play.

MILO JR.:

Elizabeth Brooks was also born in England where she and her children joined the church. Elizabeth crossed the Atlantic aboard the same ship as my mother Sarah Ann Miles, my father, and I, when we returned from papa’s mission in 1850. Elizabeth became my father’s 6^th wife in 1855.

ELIZABETH BROOKS:

My story has been a bit confusing for some of the Andrus family. As my daughter, Ann and I were sealed on the very same day in 1855 to Milo Andrus. I want you to know that Milo and I never lived together as husband and wife and that I didn’t use the Andrus name; but, I did receive the sacred ordinance of eternal marriage in the Endowment House with him. My daughter, Ann had five children with Milo. Her children are often listed as my children in genealogy records by those who don’t know the whole story.

Anyway, I was born in Hertfordshire, England and lived in London where I was converted to the LDS Church. In 1850, Ann and I sailed to New Orleans on the Argo with Sarah and Milo. The saints traveling with us were divided into six wards; Milo presided over one of these wards. The hand of providence was upon us as we were protected from certain disaster just off the coast of the Pine Isles. Some of the Saints were on the captain’s deck for cool air at nine-thirty when it seemed as if “the heavens were brightened by a strange light which showed a huge rock dead ahead” off the coast of Cuba. “All hands were called on deck and soon the Saints like brave soldiers hauled at the ropes to get themselves clear from this awful situation”. Captain Charles Mills, a veteran mariner, was able to turn the vessel and “avoid what had seemed an inevitable collision…through the prayers of the Saints. The blessings of the lord were upon…the seas once again” (footnote 1).

After arriving safe in America, we traveled to Saint Louis, where I lived by my son James Simkins Brooks for the next five years before crossing the plains to Utah (footnote 2). After reaching Utah, I lived in Cottonwood, near my daughter Ann and son James. Until James left to help settle San Bernardino, California, where he is buried.

 I enjoyed many a night listening to my daughter Ann play the piano.

I died during a diphtheria epidemic in 1876 (footnote 3), that took the lives of two of my grandchildren, Parley and Clarence Eugene, they were buried along side me in the ward cemetery in Holladay (footnote 4).

Footnotes

1. Harrison Burgess found at http://members.aol.com/harrison.html. Also on page 61 Saints on the seas by Conway B. Sonne 1983 University of Utah Press SLC.) C.E., 1850. Church Emigration records.
2. James Brooks called to be on St. Louis High Council. Milo Andrus set apart as President. Nov 4, 1854.
   (http://www.rulufandazuba.org/original_docs/18541104-formed_high_council.pdf)
3. Death date of 16 January, 1876 according to information written on a paper among Andrus papers and pictures at Hyrum Andrus’, found by Laura Anderson. “Parley and Clarence Eugene died while still young as a result of a diphtheria epidemic. Their deaths were only weeks apart. Parley died on Jan. 17, 1876, and Clarence Eugene died in early February of 1876”. …
4. By Ruth C. Andrus, wife of Clarence Loyal Andrus, “Loy”; who was the oldest son of Orson Andrus who was  the son of Ann Brooks and Milo Andrus. (Much of the information for this history is copied from a  Daughters of the Utah Pioneers publication compiled by Kate B.Carter. See pages 248 through 251 of Our Pioneer Heritage.)

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