Thomas Crowther III (5th Great-Grandfather)

Thomas Crowther III

25 July 1796 – 3 March 1871

Life Sketch of Tomas Crowther III from "The W. O. Crowther Family" Book

From: "The W. O. Crowther Family Book" Thomas Crowther was christened on July 25, 1796, at Cardington, Shropshire, England. He was the second son of eight children born to Thomas Crowther and Martha Cartwright. He worked as a farm laborer, and hired out at the age of eleven years, while his elder brother, John Crowther, apprenticed as a shoe maker. On the 7th of June 1821, Thomas married Anne Preece. This marriage took place in the Parish Church of Cardington, Shropshire, England. We fist find Thomas in the 1851 Census at Gretton, a widower, age 54, an agriculture laborer and born at Cardington; his son, Richard, age 11 years, was with him working as an agriculture laborer servant and he was born at Astley Abbotts. We find the other children were born at Easthope, Ditton Priors, Astley Abbotts, Stottesden and Bridgnorth. Thomas Crowther, working as a laborer, had a very small income and had to travel from place to place to obtain work. There was a family of ten children to be cared for with food and clothing. Mary, the eldest daughter, died soon after her mother's death in 1847. The first son, Thomas married May 7, 1849, to Sarah Thomason and came to America in 1855. He later married Jane Jewkes, and they became the parents Sarah Jane Crowther Johnson. Francis came to America in 1852 and died on the plains. Anne, the next eldest daughter, and Thomas, the eldest son, were married the same day, 7 May, 1847, in the parish of Dudley, Worcester, England. Anne married Joseph Permain. Martha died January 7, 1847, at the age of 15 years and 8 months. Sarah died December 29, 1835, at the age of 9 months. James, christened, January 31, 1838, later married Mary Ann Robinson. Richard, christened, September, 17, 1839, later married Annie Margaret Christensen. William died as a child. A daughter, an infant died. Thomas Crowther and his wife, Anne, had many sad experiences, but this was not all the grief for Thomas. On the 27th of August, 1846, his wife, Anne Preece Crowther, died soon after their infant daughter was born. Thomas spent the rest of his life caring for his family with his small earnings. Thomas lived to see his sons come to America and live here in Zion. There is no record which indicates that he joined "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints", but all of his sons did. He died March 3, 1871, in the Union Workhouse at Bridgnorth at the age of 74 years. The Workhouse was a place he could live and work for his keep. He must have been a great and wonderful man.