4th Wife of Captain James Brown:

SARAH SALLY STEADWELL
WOOD BROWN SPRAGUE LEBARON KELLY REED LEWIS

Compiled by Lucy Brown Archer

SARAH SALLY STEADWELL [or Studwell, or Stedwell] WOOD was born March 31, 1814 at Chester or Genoa, Cayuga County, New York. Her father, Abram or Abraham Studwell or Steadwell, was a native of Fairfield, Connecticut, but moved to New York with his father, Gabriel Studwell, and his two brothers, William and Peter Studwell in 1798, and later took up land in Rye, New York. Emigrant Thomas Studwell of Massachusetts came from Kent, England to Connecticut and New York. His mother, Rebecca Sheffield Studwell, was a native of New York.

Abram (Abraham) and Rebecca had ten children as follows:

Harvey Studwell (Stedwell), born about 1810 in Genoa or Chester, Cayuga, New York.
Selah or Seeley Studwell, born about 1812, in Genoa, Cayuga, New York.
Sarah and Olive Studwell (twins) born 31 March 1814, in Genoa, Cayuga, New York
Mary Studwell, born 1816, in Genoa, Cayuga, New York.
Ann Studwell, born 1818, in Genoa, Cayuga, New York.
Rebecca Studwell, born 1819, in Genoa, Cayuga, New York.
John Studwell, born 1820, in Genoa, Cayuga, New York.
Jonathon Studwell, born 1822, in Genoa, Cayuga, New York.
Abram Studwell, born 1826, in Genoa, Cayuga, New York.

They moved to Berlin, Huron County, (now Erie County) Ohio, about 1829 and later moved to LaHarpe, Hancock County, Illinois. 

[Spouse 1] Samuel Wood, was born in 1807, in Auburn, New York, married Sarah Studwell, on 15 July 1832 in Berlin [Norwalk], Huron County, Ohio. They had six children but three died in infancy.

Children of Sarah Steadwell and Samuel Wood as follows: 

Warren Wood, born in 1833, Berlin, Huron, Ohio.
Sylvester and Emma Wood (twins), born 1835, Huron County, Ohio. Both died young.
Charles Wood, born 9 June 1837, Berlin, Huron, Ohio.
George Wood, born in 1839, Berlin, Huron, Ohio. He died young.

Joseph Wood, born 19 April 1841, LeHarpe, Hancock, Illinois. Samuel and Sarah joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and started towards Nauvoo, but Samuel became discouraged and taking their eldest son, Warren, said he was going back home. They separated at Sandusky, Ohio. Sarah and her two sons, Charles and Joseph, continued on their way to Nauvoo, Illinois, determined to be with the Saints.  [Samuel died in 1882 in Liberty, Huron, Ohio]  They endured all the hardships of pioneer life, and the opposition of those who did not believe in this new religion. It took faith and courage to go on, but Sarah had both and did her part to help the cause along.

On January 10, 1846, Sarah married James Brown, Jr., as his first polygamous wife, in Nauvoo, Hancock,  Illinois. He was born 30 September 1801, in Rowan County, North Carolina, and died 30 September 1863, in Ogden, Weber, Utah, as a result of an accident. He joined the Mormon Battalion, was elected Captain of Company "C", and left in July 1846, for the long trek to help win California from Mexico. He took Mary McRee Black, one of his four wives at the time, with him, and Sarah was left to shift for herself, along with the other Saints preparing to travel west. 

These were troublesome times. Persecution was so great that the Mormons were forced to abandon their homes and were driven out of their beautiful city of Nauvoo, which was built on the banks of the Mississippi River. Their temple was burned and they had to flee for their lives across the river. They traveled on to Winter Quarters, Nebraska, on the west bank of the Missouri River, and suffered from cold and privations. Many lost their lives. Six hundred were buried in the little cemetery there. Sarah and James Brown’s only child, James Harvey Brown, was born at Winter Quarters on October 8, 1846. Her bedroom was a wagon box set on the ground, but being of sturdy stock and having faith in the Gospel, Sarah survived the ordeal. History tells us that the early pioneers suffered more hardships, sickness, and death while traveling from Nauvoo, Illinois to Winter Quarters, Nebraska, than during any other part of their journey. 

Brigham Young was very concerned about his people, especially the widows, wives, and families of the men who went with the Mormon Battalion. It is said that, ". . . he slept with one eye open, and one foot out of bed. Everyone helped each other when they were in need and their rations were low. He was a fine carpenter as well as a capable leader, and whenever they stopped along the way, he had the men build cabins and bridges, as well as plant crops and gardens, which were often left for those who followed. They set up blacksmith shops and made wagons, and other things necessary for their trip westward." [Sarah and her children left Winter Quarters, Nebraska on May 26, 1848 they traveled in the Brigham Young Company Oxen, Wagon Train, a company of 1,220 Saints. They entered the Salt Lake valley on 21 September 1848] 

Although men, women, and children were dying off by the hundreds, due to swampy lands, unhealthy conditions, malnutrition and hardships, the saints kept up their spirits by singing Gospel hymns and dancing around the camp fires when the day’s work was done. It was at this time, April 15, 1846, when the people were so discouraged that William Clayton wrote the song, "Come, Come Ye Saints", which was sung by hundreds of weary pioneers, and is still a favorite Mormon hymn.

 It was during these strenuous times that my grandmother, Sarah Studwell Wood Brown lived, with her three sons, Charles Wood, about ten years, Joseph Wood, about eight years, and baby James Harvey Brown, all in a little log cabin of their own. We have no history of her life, but elder members of the family say she was a very intelligent woman, who did her own thinking and was a good manager. Her husband, Captain James Brown, sent her money to buy a wagon and two span of oxen for the journey to Utah. They came in 1848 with the Brigham Young Company, with Heber C Kimball in charge of ten wagons. My father, Charles, only eleven years of age, helped to drive the oxen. There were no lines, but they were guided by "Gees" and "Haws". After a long hard journey, they arrived in Ogden, Utah. They lived in Brownsville on the former Goodyear property which Captain Brown had purchased with money earned from service in the Mormon Battalion. Several other families lived there to. The fort consisted of some log cabins and corrals, a small garden and a large tract of fertile land, lying between the Weber and Ogden Rivers. There were 75 cattle, 75 goats, 12 sheep, 6 horses and a cat. During the spring of 1848 they plowed a large tract, planting it to wheat and other things. They also made large amounts of cheese and butter, which was plenty of work for all. In Salt Lake Valley the frost, drought and crickets ravaged the crops, so they were glad to get food from Captain Brown.

Sarah was not too happy living in polygamy, so after a few years she left Captain James Brown and later married Ithamer Ardemis or Arthemur Sprague, [in 1848 "On the trail to Utah" between May and September 1848] an older man. The Indians were very troublesome and it was necessary to give them food to keep them from stealing and to maintain peace. One day the Indians came begging for food. They had stolen an Indian girl from another tribe, but they pushed her back and would not let her get anything to eat. Grandmother saw that her hair was all matted and she was thin and undernourished, so she persuaded them to leave the girl with her. She cut off her hair, being unable to comb it, fed her and made her a bed on a straw tick, and finally brought her back to health. They called her "Fanny", but she had another Indian name. Every time the Indians came, Grandmother had to hide Fanny so they wouldn’t kill her. She taught the family many words which helped them to speak and understand the Indian language. Later my father, Charles Wood, went on a mission to the Indians and taught them the Book of Mormon. He also served as an interpreter for the immigrants. The Indians taught Grandmother how to make gloves and moccasins from deerskins. These she sold to the travelers who were passing through Utah. It became necessary to send Fanny away to live with other relatives to protect her from the Indians. 

Ithamar Sprague was a blacksmith and there was plenty of work in his line in those days. Sarah, being a good manager and thrifty, was able to help make a home in this new country and raise her large family in the land of the free. [They had a stop for travelers at the mouth of Echo Canyon which had been a Pony Express stop. ]

Ithamar Sprague and Sarah Sally Steadwell Wood Brown Sprague children were:
Margaret Sprague, born in 1849, Ogden, Utah
Itamar [Smith] Sprague, born in 1854  [10 December 1852], Ogden, Utah
Sarah Sprague, born in 1856 [15 December 1853], Ogden, Utah.
Rebecca Sprague, born in 1858 [28 November 1855], Ogden, Utah
Solomon  [Abraham] Sprague, born in 1860 [10 August 1860], Ogden, Utah

[Margaret Sprague, b.Nov 28, 1849, Ogden, Utah; md. Norton W. Curtis.
Ithamer Smith Sprague, b. Dec 10, 1851 Ogden, Utah; md. Anna Maria Leavitt.
Sarah Sprague, b. Dec 15, 1853 Ogden, Utah; md. Nephi James Bates.
Rebecca "Betsey" Sprague, b. Nov 28, 1855 Ogden, Utah; md. Lemuel S. Leavitt.
Solomon Abraham Sprague, b. Aug 10, 1860 Ogden, Utah; md. Sarah Jane Giles.]

Years later, after the death of her husband [Ithamer died on April 13, 1879 in Bunkerville, Clark, Nevada], Sarah married Mr. Kelly Reed Lewis [Alonza LeBaron] and lived in Soda Springs, Idaho. Here she had a small shop where she sold candy, books, pencils, trinkets and etc., and had a good business. [Sarah had a dining hall and did laundry and cooking at Fort Douglas.  She made gloves and moccasins from deer skin and had a shop in Soda Springs, Idaho.] After her husband’s death, she kept her business and made good money, but finally sold out and spent her last days with her son, Joseph Wood and his family in Trenton, Cache County, Utah. She passed away March 31, 1894, and was buried at Cornish [Trenton], Cache County, Utah.  Many fine descendants honor her name. 

[There seems to be some confusion about Sarah Sally's husbands. Some sources state her fourth husband was Alonzo LeBaron. Husband five was a Mr. Kelly.

Husband six was Henry Reed. Husband seven was Henry Lewis. Or so it goes......]

Click here to view another biography of Sarah Sally Steadwell- "Five Hundred Wagons Stood Still — Mormon Battalion Wives", by Shirley N. Maynes. U.S.A 1999: pages 74-76. 

Click here to view another biography of Sarah Sally Steadwell - "Sarah Steadwell Wood" -- by Laura Wood McCarty and Belva Rawson Moyle.

Sources: 

PAF - Archer files 

Family history of Laura Wood McCarty, granddaughter of Charles and Sarah Studwell Wood, October 1960. 

Family story copy made by Barbara Wood Olsen, a great-granddaughter of Joseph Wood and Elizabeth Ellen Slater Wood, August 24, 1968 and April 17, 1972. 

April 17, 2000 - Retyped with minor corrections for spelling and punctuation by Randy J. Thompson, great-great grandson of Sarah Studwell Wood Brown Sprague LeBaron Kelly Reed Lewis and Captain James Brown Jr. 

Sources: Thompson, Randy J., Sarah Studwell, 1814 – 1894.

Certificate: Document Donor: Randy J. Thompson, June 4, 2000. Transcribed: Randy J. Thompson, June 4, 2000. 

"Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude, Vol. II, International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers,  Publishers Press, 1998. Page 1786 (Lewis)  ISBN: 0-9658406-1-1 

"Sarah Steadwell Wood", written by Laura Wood McCarty, Grand-daughter Oct. 1960 Retyped and additions made by Belva Rawson Moyle July 25, 2003 Additional information added from "Don't Be A Scrub" by Shirley H. Horton written about 1950. Typed in by Belva 27 Jul 2004.

Bold and [bracketed] added material added by Lucy Brown Archer

Brown Book of Remembrance written by Hattie Jensen and Loella Brown Tanner prior to 1948