Julia Ann Lockwood Hales

Julia Ann Lockwood Hales  1824-1903

Ralph Otis Bradley's Great Great Grandmother

            Julia was born August 10, 1824 in Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York near Palmyra.  Soon after her birth, her mother was granted a divorce from her father.  He had no use for the gospel, which was so dear to her mother.  Julia Ann was shifted from one family member to another during the early years of her life.  She never knew what real love and family life was like because of this situation.  Parley P. Pratt baptized her into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the age of 8 in 1836.  She moved to Kirtland, Ohio with her family.

She married Charles Henry Hales at the age of fifteen, October 31, 1839 in Quincy, Illinois.   Here they had one baby Eliza Ann and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois where another son and daughter were born to them.  While living at Nauvoo she was a dear friend of Emma Smith and the Prophet. 

            They were driven out of Nauvoo in 1845 and made their home in Garden Grove, Iowa for six years, 1846-1852.  Three other children were born to them in this place.  They were driven out of their homes in 1852 and were able to take with them across the desert only those articles absolutely necessary for a family of eight.  Julia Ann walked most of the way leaving to her oldest daughter the responsibility of driving the team. They joined the James C. Snow Wagon Company.   They arrived in Salt Lake City in the fall of 1852.  Their early years in Utah were harsh ones. 

            In 1856, the grasshoppers destroyed the crops they had planted.  The families moved to Spanish Fork in 1858.  They had little to eat.  Her husband took a second wife.

            She was a real helpmate to her husband.  Many times they had very little to eat.  She cooked over an open fire until 1868 when her son, Joe, went off to work and bought her her first stove.  She was glad to get seamless sacks to make dresses and trousers for her children.  In spite of their hardships, their children were all strong and healthy and grew to adulthood to form large families of their own.

           

            Julia Ann was a member of the first Relief Society in Nauvoo.  She served as president of her ward Relief Society in Spanish Fork and gave much compassionate service to her sisters and those in need during those early pioneer days.  She and her husband both sang in the Spanish Fork Choir.  She was much loved and respected by her neighbors and friends. 

           

            The Indians killed her daughter, Isabell, and her husband, Robert Berry.  They were on their way home to Southern Utah, after visiting her family in Spanish Fork.  This was a great trial to her.  After her husband died, she made her home with her youngest daughter, Harriet E. Nelson.  Julia Ann lived as a widow for fourteen years and died at the age of 79 in the home where she raised her family.  Due to her age she suffered a stroke and died on February 18, 1903.  She was buried at Spanish Fork Cemetery.  She was remembered as a faithful wife and loving mother and a true Latter-day Saint.

Julia Ann Lockwood Hales

1824-1903

Julia Ann was born August 10, 1824 in Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York, near Palmyra. There is some confusion as to the name of her father, it is either Joseph or George Lockwood. Half the records say Joseph and the other half say George and each of them have different parents. Her mother, Annis Gillett had also been previously married, there is confusion here also. Annis was married to a Jonathan Barlow or Edward Thompson or both.
Wayne B. Hales, Julia Ann's grandson, writes "Soon after Julia's birth, her mother was granted a divorce from her father. He had no use for the gospel which was so dear to her mother. Julia Ann was shifted from one family member to another during the early years of her life. She never knew what real love and family life was like because of this situation. She was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the age of 8 by Parley P. Pratt." 

Julia Ann and family followed the Saints when they moved to Kirtland, Ohio. Then around June 1838 her family moved to a small community called Huntsville, Randolf, Missouri. They found quite a big branch of the Church there. This is when Julia Ann first became acquainted with Charles Hales. 

After being driven out of Missouri Julia Ann and her family settled in Quincey, Illinois. Here she married Charles Henry Hales at the age of fifteen on October 31, 1839. They had one baby, Eliza Ann and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois where Julia Aedena and George Gillett (named after Julia Ann's brother) and Mary Isabella were born to them. While living at Nauvoo Julia Ann and Charles were neighbors to the Prophet Joseph Smith and knew his family very well. Julia was a dear friend of Emma Smith and was a member of the first Relief Society in Nauvoo. 

Julia Ann and Charles were driven out of Nauvoo in 1846 and made their home in Garden Grove, Iowa for six years 1846-1852. Two other children were born to them in this place Charles Henry, and Joseph Lockwood. They were driven out of their homes again in 1852 and were able to take with them across the desert only those articles absolutely necessary for a family of eight. Julia Ann walked most of the way leaving to her oldest daughter the responsibility of driving the team. They joined the James C. Snow Wagon Company and arrived in Salt Lake City in the fall of 1852. 

Their early years in Utah were harsh ones and they were often hungry. They first lived in Salt Lake and had their seventh child there, they named him John Taylor because John Taylor had traveled West with them on the same wagon train. 

In the spring of 1854 Charles and family moved to Big Cottonwood (located just south of 48th South and west of Highland Drive in Salt Lake County). Here Stephen Frederick and William Parley were born. For five years they lived here and farmed. In 1856 Charles had rented a farm and put in crops just as the young plants began to make the fields green the terrible grass-hoppers came and destroyed the crops as they did all over Utah, but they were faithful and were saved by the Sea Gulls, which God sent to their rescue.
Julia Ann's husband, Charles, took a second wife in the spring of 1957, Francis Brunyer. Of this union thirteen children were born.

The families moved to Spanish Fork in 1858. Julia Ann had her last three children there; Mariah Josephine, Jonathan Hyrum, and Harriet Elizabeth. Julia Ann had twelve children in all. 

Julia Ann was a real helpmate to her husband. Many times they had very little to eat. She was glad to get seamless sacks to make dresses and trousers for her children. She cooked over an open fire until 1868 when her son, Joe, went off to work and bought her her first stove. In spite of their hardships, their children were all strong and healthy and grew to adulthood to form large faithful families of their own.

Julia Ann served as president of her ward Relief Society in Spanish Fork and gave much compassionate service to her sisters and those in need during those early pioneer days.
Julia Ann and Charles both sang in the Spanish Fork Choir for 20 years. Kate B. Carter writes "The Spanish Fork Choir had some notoriety in rendering both sacred and secular music, having some of the best soprano voices in the Territory, and affording amusement and refined enjoyement to the citizens of Spanish Fork and the neighboring settlements by giving concerts and social parties. They attracted the attention of Pres. Brigham Young and on two occasions they visited Salt Lake City by his invitation, the first to sing at a conference held in the Bowery and afterwards at the opening of the new Tabernacle. At another time, while on his way to attend the dedicatory services at the opening of the Nephi meetinghouse, Pres. Young and party stayed at Spanish Fork and held service in the afternoon. Afterward Pres. Young asked the choir to accompany him to Nephi to assist at the services there. The choir spent two days at Nephi having a most enjoyable time." There is a picture of the choir which includes both Julia Ann and Charles Hales.
The Indians killed her daughter, Mary Isabella and her husband in 1866. They were on their way to Southern Utah after visiting the folks at Spanish Fork.

After Charles died, she made her home with her youngest daughter, Harriet E. Nelson. Julia Ann lived as a widow for fourteen years and died at the age of 79 in the home where she raised her family. Due to her age she suffered a stroke and died on February 18, 1903. She was buried at Spanish Fork Cemetery. 

Julia Ann was much loved and respected by her neighbors and friends. She was remembered as a faithful wife and loving mother and a true Latter-day Saint.