Ralph Briggs Douglass and Jane Stone Douglass

History of Ralph Briggs Douglass

Ralph Briggs Douglass was born December 28, 1824 at Dowham, Lancaster, England, the son of George and Ellen Briggs Douglass. His father and mother and family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the first visit of Heber C. Kimball in the year 1838. Ralph was baptized in the LDS Church in the spring of 1840 (May 23) by Steven Langstrain at Cletheroe, England. The family migrated to America and arrived in Nauvoo on April 7, 1842.

Ralph was personally acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith. He also shared in the persecution of the sints while in Nauvoo and went through many hardships with them. Ralph married Hennrietta Wheeler in the spring of 1846. At a pioneer celebration in Nauvoo Henrietta was chosen to receive a blue silk scarf for having the blackest hair and eyes, when someone brought in an Indian girl and she carried away the prize.

Ralph and Henrietta were blessed with two chilren in this marriage. When a call was made for volunteers, he enlisted in the Mormon Ballalion Company "D". There were ninety men in this company. Ralph left Nauvoo with the first company for the west, leaving his wife almost destitute with no shelter other than a tent to protect her from the weather.

Ralph marched with the regiment but was taken ill with scurvy and sent back to Pueblo where he nearly died. He remained there during the winter of 1846. On Monday, April 5, 1847, Ralph left winter quarters on a trip to the Rocky Mountains. This was the first group of pioneers to travel west. They traveled 111 days and endured many hardships along the way with the saints and their families. Ralph Arrived in Salt Lake City in the year 1847 with the pioneers. While in the valley he helped make and lay adobe for the Old Fort Wall in Salt Lake City.

In the fall of the same year (August 26, 1847) in the company of President Brigham Young they went back to Missouri in search of his loved ones and Ralph found them at St. Joseph, Missouri. He spent the winter there then went to St. Louis in the spring of 1848. He stayed in St. Louis for two years making preparations for another western journey.

With another company of immigrants he left for Utah in the spring of 1850 and arrived safely in the fall at Salt Lake City, although they suffered untold hardships along the way. Ralph was appointed Captain of Company "D" in the year 1850. He crossed the plains several times to assist companies from the Missouri River.

Ralph was called again as one of the Mormon Battalion to make a trip through Old Mexico going around through California and returning to Salt Lake City. He then continued his journey to the east and brought his family back to Utah. The family settled in Ogden, Utah. Ralph helped build the first adobe home here.

Colonel A.P. Rockwood suggested that a log house 18x18 feet would cost $40 and one of adobe would be half as much. So Captain Brown set his men to work building both on August 1st. In the valley they put up a stockade of adobe houses. Samuel Gould and James Dunn were lime burners and Sylvester H. Earl, Joel T. Terrill, Ralph Douglass and Joseph Hancock were brick makers. The work carried on according to church history.

Ralph was polygamist and on February 6, 1856, he married Jane Stone in Ogden, Utah. They were blessed with 13 children: William, Samuel, George, Emma, Hannah, Lucy, Maude, Joseph, Ester, Josephine, Richard, Robert and Nancy. When the "Raid" was made in 1887 against polygamists he was true to his faith, and was sentenced to six months imprisonment in the penitentiary by Judge Powers.

Ralph was ordained in the 54th Quorum of Seventies on June 14, 1857, and was ordained president of that Quorum on March 12, 1861, by Walter Thompson. He was also a member of the High Priest Quorum.

Ralph owned a whole block of property in the vicinity of Lincoln Ave. between 26th & 27th streets in Ogden. He gave his children lots and built homes on them for them. He also owned property on the corner of Grant on 26th Street. He had the first butcher shop in Ogden.

Ralph and his brother, Richard, belonged to the Ogden City brass band in 1864 and gave concerts in many different localities to raise money for instruments and uniforms.

Ralph was very faithful in his callings and set many an example to his fellowmen. He was a Republican in politics and was a butcher, brick maker and brick layer by trade.

Jane Stone his second wife died on May 4, 1889 in Downey, Idaho and is buried in the Marsh Center Cemetery.

Ralph died May 3, 1900 in Ogden, Utah, and is buried in the Ogden City Cemetery.

Company "D" Mormon Battalion

Privates: James Douglass and Ralph Douglass

This company with A,B,C, and part of E were mustered into service at Council Bluff, Iowa, July 16, 1846 and marched 8 miles to purchase blankets and other necessary articles for the campaign. The same was deducted from their first government draft. On the 20th of July the men of each Company subscribed liberally of their wages to be sent back for the support of their families and to aid in gathering the poor from Nauvoo.

Received $42, August 5th as clothing money for the year. Most of this was sent back for support of families of soldiers (heat registered 130 degrees in sun - 101 degrees in shade). August 14th and 15th, Coimpany D and E left Fort Leavenworth for Santa Fe over taking other companies at Stone Coal Creek - crossing Kansas or Kaw River which at the ferry was about 300 yards in width.

October 15, 1846, Lt. Col. Cooke sent Capt. James Brown to take command of men reported by the Assist. Surgeon as incapable from sickness and disability of undertaking the present march to California to winter at Santa Fe. Ralph Douglass was on this list.

1,400 miles travel during 104 days under painful circumstances with safe arrival on shore of Pacific Ocean January 30, 1847.

Discharged from service July 15, 1847 at LosAngeles. Main part of Battalion arrived in Salt Lake City October 16, 1847. Some found their families here while others went back east to find theirs, others reenlisted in Army and stayed in California 6 months. Lorenzo F. Harmon and Oliver Harmon were among these.

Taken from: "Book of the Mormon Battalion".

George Douglass and Ellen Briggs are parents of Ralph Briggs Douglass (above)

George was born 22 Aug 1802 at Downham, Lancashire, England; married 1 Sep 1832 at Downham, Lancashire, England; died 12 Jul 1842 at Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois.

Ellen was born 17 Nov. 1806 at Downham, Lancashire, England; died 25 Feb 1888 at Virgin City, Washington, Utah

Brief History of Jane Stone Douglass

Jane Stone Douglass was the second wife of Ralph Briggs Douglass. She was born October 25, 1836, at Greenacres near Oldham, Lancashire, England. She was the daughter of Samuel and Hannah Stone.
They came to America when Jane was a small child. Soon after landing in the United States, they began to migrate westward with the pioneers. Jane's father died near Nauvoo with yellow fever. This left Jane, her mother and two brothers to come to Utah. They endured many hadships crossing the plains.

A widow with three small children, Jane's mother (Hannah Stone) married John Bardsley. He did not take a very good liking to Jane and this made it hard for her (Jane) no home and no one to care for her as her mother and husband moved to California.

Jane worked at what she could find to do, most of the time housework. She made her own livelyhood until she was 20 years of age. At this time she married Ralph Briggs Douglass in the endowment house in Salt Lake City, Utah. They made their home in Ogden, Utah, where he became the first butcher. Here thirteen children were born. Three died under the age of 2, one died at the age of 12 and nine grew to man and womanhood married and reared families.

Jane Stone Douglass had 40 grandchildren at the time this was written April 2, 1941.

She died in Downey, Idaho, May 4, 1889, at the age of 52 years, 6 months and 9 days. She was buried in the Marsh Center Cemetery, North West of Downey.

As of February 28, 1948, there were only two of the family living - Elizabeth Maud D. Rider and Ester Ella D. Bryant.

Written by Eliza Barnes Wilding a grandaughter.

Hannah Bradley mother of Jane Stone (above)

Born 16 May 1816 at Oldham, Lancashire, England

Married Abt 1836 at Oldham, Lancashire, England to Samuel Stone

Died 22 July 1902 at Sandy Gulch, California