MARY MESSENGER HAWORTH.

File made by RKW years ago...

The following represents the story told by Mary Messenger Haworth.

I was born in Halifax, England 1851. My father was a wool grader by trade and had his own shop in England. I came over to America with my mother when I was 3 years old. My father had come over two years before. It took mother and I seven weeks to make the voyage on the ship “The Tennawonder.” I was tossing my china doll up and down the deck and I missed catching her and over into the briny deep she fell. We landed at Philadelphia.

We stayed in Philadelphia awhile and then moved to Camden, Ohio, and then later to Massilon, Clark County, Ohio. Brother Charley and Sister Salina were born in Massilon, Ohio.

Uncle William Messenger, my father’s brother, came over from England and stayed with us until the Civil War broke out and enlisted. He was wounded and suffered 33 days. A blood vessel broke and he bled to death. He was the only one we had in America.

We moved to Crete, Illinois, where Father enlisted (in the civil war). Sister Salina was a little baby and Brother Charley was two years old. We rented rooms of a widow lady. She had two grown daughters. We stayed with her until the war was over.

I rode at the fair before we left Ohio. I was then nine years old. I received the first premium for riding. The next year I rode again and received the first premium. The ones that rode with me in the race were all grown.

We came to Baxter Springs, Cherokee County, Kansas. Stayed quite a while here. Mr. Bliss, the storekeeper, wanted to come to Winfield and put in a store. He wished father to bring a load of goods for him, which he did. My mother made the trip with him. I stayed and took care of the children and while they were gone little Willie took the diphtheria and died. (He) was buried two days before they came back. He was six years old. My mother took it so hard and would not give up seeing him again, and we took him up. He looked very natural. I was engaged to be married, but after brother’s death put it off. I came out with my parents and we were not here but a short while before Mahlon (Haworth or Hayworth) came out and then we went to Winfield and were married by Judge Ross. He was the first judge of Cowley County in 1871, and we were the first couple married.

(Note - M. B. Hayworth, age 22, married Mary Messenger, age 20, on January 17, 1871. They were not the first couple married. RKW)

We came back and took a place joining my father’s, stayed there all of our married life. We helped to build up Atlanta. That is where my loved ones are buried, all but dear father and mother and little Mahlon, Myrtle’s little boy. They are laid at rest in the Mt. Vernon Cemetery. The rest of our loved ones are in the Atlanta cemetery. I have made two trips to California, one with Mahlon and one after he passed away. I am now spending the rest of my life with Laura and Ashby.

Mary Messenger Haworth died July 22, 1940, and is buried in the Atlanta Cemetery. Her husband, Mahlon Haworth, died in January 1924, age 75 years, six months and 3 days. They had four children: Laura Harris, Myrtle DeBard, Clinton (who died December 9, 1928), and Earl, who died July 29, 1907.

Her parents are buried in the Mount Vernon Cemetery with the following headstones:

Jonas Messenger, died March 11, 1890, age 62 years and 12 days.