Prepared & submitted by Junior B. Charlton and Elaine Charlton Brown
By Brigham Young’s request and searching for a better place, the Joseph Skeen family in March, 1859, left their home in Lehi to help settle the community of Plain City. With the rest of his family, a nine-year old boy, Lyman, came with their parents to the adventurous new land. Lyman Stoddard Skeen met and courted Electa Philomelia Dixon. proud she was to be seated in a unique carriage drawn by t
wo beautiful matched horses and beside such a handsome man and escorted through the valleys of romance. They were married on February 8, 1870. They became the parents of two boys, Lyman, Jr. and Charles, so you can understand how proud they were when a healthy baby girl was delivered to them. She was given the name of Emma Jane which she would be known by her family, associates and church records.
Being born of stalwart pioneer heritage, she soon learned the art of pioneer life and that she must be responsible for her actions and to set a good example for her eight siblings who would follow her in her family. Her parents taught her the importance of being a true latter-day saint, acquiring a good education and the necessity of becoming a good teacher and set an example for all to follow.
Her early days were of the usual carefree and happy life of a child of well-to-do pioneer parents. She had the assignments of helping her mother with housework and learned to sew, mend and become a beautiful housekeeper and cook.
She attended school in Plain City when she was six. She was an active and excellent student, and always participated in school activities. She had no particular interest in any school discipline except to become a mother and housewife.
She loved to participate in church activities and was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Plain City canal on August 5, 1882. She was always active and loved to attend her church meetings.
Upon completing the school requirements, Emma Jane went to the Agricultural College, known as Utah State University in Logan, Utah. Her mother passed away quite suddenly on April 28, 1891, when Emma was 17 years old. She quit school and returned home to help her father in the care of younger siblings and the management of the home and family. She was very particular in cleanliness and would often get up during the night to scrub the floor. She was such a fanatic with cleanliness her health was beginning to deteriorate. Her father married Annie Skelton on October 20, 1892, which greatly relieved her of some of the household tasks.
Emma Jane met and was courted by Lewis H. Carver and they became childhood sweethearts. Lewis went to Weber Academy in Ogden for two years and worked in Oregon in a lumber camp and returned to the Agricultural College (Utah State) graduating in business. Their love and patience endured and they were endowed, married and sealed to each other on December 22, 1898. They set up housekeeping in an old house east of where her father lived in Plain City. Lewis worked as a bookkeeper for D.H. Peery Company. Lewis was called on a mission to England in March, 1899. They really didn’t have the finances to support him on his mission and both suffered drastically. Emma Jane stayed in Plain City where she received assistance from her family. It was here her first child, Iona, was born on November 13, 1899.
In the fall of 1900, Emma Jane took Iona and moved to Salt Lake to live with her sisters, Electa and Mary Ellen who were attending the University of Utah. At this time of history the only work for a woman was housekeeping and a seamstress. She felt that she could find more work to keep her husband in the mission field and give her a more comfortable living. One early, cold morning after bathing Iona, she stepped out on the veranda to empty the large white crockery wash bowl she had used. She slipped on some snow covered ice and landed on the shattered bowl, cutting the main artery in her right wrist. She suffered agony, and the hand finally shriveled up and she lost feeling in it, which made it harder to clean and sew.
About this time Lewis had been neglecting his eating habits and became extremely ill to the point where he was given an early release and sent home. They moved back to Ogden and lived on Lincoln Avenue. In March the doctor decided to operate on her hand to restore life to the nerve and give her the use of her hand. It was a painful surgery and she suffered to the point that she was taken to her father’s where a nurse was secured for her. She was not happy there so they moved to a small old house where the Etherington garage now stands in Plain City. It was close enough to her father’s for help but yet she could maintain her independency. Lewis, because of poor health, developed spinal meningitis followed by a mild stroke. It was some time before his health was restored before he could go back to work for Perry Estate.
That summer Mae was living with them. She recalls that they would sometimes make soap in the back yard over an open fire. Mae was awakened from a nap and by request was sent to get Mrs. Moyes, a midwife. She left the room to call Aunt Lell. As she walked back into the bedroom, Mrs. Moyes laid a baby boy on the bed. She stated that she had no idea that Emma Jane was expecting. Glen Lyman was born on July 17, 1901, and Lewis Floyd was born on August 19, 1903. Both of them were born in Plain City.
Shortly after Floyd’s birth the family moved to 478 21st Street in Ogden. Finances were sparse and due to health conditions Mae moved in with the family about the time another child was expected. Aunt Mae states that she worked with the doctor. When the baby was born, she was black and blue and was laid aside while attention was turned to the mother. She said she made such a fuss about the baby and she was told what she could do to help. She got dish pans and put cold water in one and hot water in the other. The baby was dipped into one and then the other with a good spat in between. Finally she cried and the doctor examined her and said she would live. Emma Jane told Mae, “I will never live to raise her and we shall name her for you.” Emma Mae was born October 19, 1905. Both the baby and Emma were will for some time. Emma was regaining her strength when she learned of her brother, Lyman’s illness. She was very devastated when he passed away on May 15, 1906.
For financial and health reasons Aunt Mae continued to live with Emma Jane and her family and help with the welfare of her children. In the early fall of 1908, it became known that another child was expected in April. The last of March Emma became quite ill. On March 31st, Aunt Min Geddes and a nurse were acquired and later a special nurse from the hospital was brought in. The baby only lived a few hours. She was given a blessing and the name Louise. She was dressed in the prettiest dress which was specially made and placed it a small casket.
Later that evening Emma’s father had gone home, the children were put to bed and Lewis went to lie down briefly. Mae stayed with the nurse. At 2:00 a.m. Emma roused up and asked for a drink and said she was hungry. She ate very little, thanked the nurse and Mae and lay back down and quietly followed the light into eternity. She met her mother along the way who said, “Emma Jane, it’s time.” She took her hand and escorted her into the arms of others who were waiting.
Lewis was almost insane with grief because he had not been called but was informed by the nurse that Emma had peacefully slipped away. It was later learned that Emma had a large abscess on the liver which had ruptured. The quickness of death was caused by blood poisoning. She passed away on April 1, 1909, at the age of thirty-five. Mother and daughter were laid to rest in the same casket in the Plain City Cemetery, lot 124.