Margaret Alice Mcbride

1853 - 1934  (81 years)

• Name	Margaret Alice Mcbride
  Birth	29 Jun 1853	Southport, Lancashire, England
  Gender	Female
  Death	25 Jul 1934	Long Beach, Los Angeles County, CA
  Person ID	I61070	Bob Juch's Tree
  Last Modified	31 Dec 2022

  
  

  Family	Erastus White Snow,   b. 27 Jan 1849, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT d. 20 Mar 1888, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT (Age 39 years)
  Marriage	3 Mar 1874
  Children	1. Junius Claud Snow,   b. 9 Jan 1877, St. George, Washington County, UT d. 6 Jul 1964, Yountville Veterans Home, Napa County, CA (Age 87 years)  [natural]   2. Ethel Snow,   b. 24 Nov 1883, St. George, Washington County, UT d. 1 Jan 1910, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT (Age 26 years)  [natural]
  Family ID	F21137	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	31 Dec 2022

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 29 Jun 1853 - Southport, Lancashire, England  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Margaret Alice was the youngest in the family of Robert McBride 3rd and Margaret Ann Howard. As far as we have been able to determine, Margaret Alice has left nothing in the nature of diaries or journals. What is known of her life is very sketchy, culled from that which others have said or written. Born June 29,1853, in Southport, Lancashire, England, and given her mother's name, she came to be affectionately known as "Little Maggie." She was just short of three years old, when her parents finalized preparations to migrate to America. Boarding the ship May 13, 1856, they landed in Boston Harbor June 30, the day after her third birthday. Little Maggie shared in the arduous journey across the plains and mountains into Utah, much of which has been outlined in the accounts of the lives of her parents and other family members. At the tender age of three years it is doubtful that she would remember very much about those significant events. However, the stories recited by other family members as Maggie grew up no doubt became very real and meaningful to her. There were many children in the Martin Handcart Company, and they were given all the care limited facilities could afford. Any old enough to go it on foot were required to do so. Little Maggie, a mere toddler, always had her special place atop the equipment on the handcart. At times she, with other children, rode in the wagons when crossing rivers or in other difficult or dangerous situations. The mother, Margaret, suffered much illness during the trip, and of course the father, Robert, lost his life. Much of the care of Maggie fell to Janetta and the other youngsters, a duty they willingly shared. Even with all the attention the family could give her, Maggie suffered a great deal. The rigors of traveling and camping in a hostile wilderness, the bitter cold, lack of food and clothing, took their toll. The tot barely survived. After suffering from hunger and exhaustion, she would cry herself to sleep. Seldom is one of such tender years required to undergo the privations she did. Even after arriving in Utah, life for Margaret Alice remained a struggle for many years. Those early years were spent in the small town of Eden, Weber County. Here she attended school and received what education the Western Frontier made available. Closely associated with the church, she learned at an early age to love the gospel and to cherish all the church had to offer. It seems that the trauma of crossing the plains and finally getting settled in Eden had welded the McBride family firmly together. Little Maggie held a special place in the hearts of those who survived with her. Loved and cherished by them, she grew to be a beautiful and talented young lady. Margaret Alice married Erastus White Snow, son of Apostle Erastus Show, August 3, 1874, at age twenty. They were sealed on that date in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, as no temple had been completed in the church at that time. Shortly thereafter they moved to St. George, Utah, where they made their home for the next ten years. During this period five children were born to them, three of whom died in infancy. Their first, Maggie May, lived only one month; their third child, Clifford, lived two years, nine months; and their fourth, Herbert, lived just short of one year. Both boys mentioned died of diphtheria on the same day, May 5, 1882. These were trying times indeed for the young mother. From dates of events taken from the life of her mother (Margaret Ann), it appears that the latter was visiting with Maggie and Erastus Snow in St. George: one time when their first boy, Junius Claude, was born, January 2, 1877, and another time when the two younger boys died, May 5,1882. The mother's presence there may have helped young Maggie bear up under some difficult times. In St. George the Snow family played host to Maggie's brother Peter, upon the occasion of his marriage to a second wife, Laura Lewis. The couple had traveled from Southern Arizona by wagon for that purpose, and were married in the temple November 1, 1882. Erastus and Maggie welcomed them into their home where they had a party and served a lovely dinner. As a further hospitable gesture, Brother Snow gave them use of his horse and buggy to go where they pleased. In the year 1884, Margaret Alice and Erastus moved to Provo, Utah, with their two children, Junius Claude and Ethel. In Provo two more daughters were born, Edna, January 10, 1885, and Lucille, February 12, 1887. Sometime after the birth of Lucille, the Snow family moved to Salt Lake City. The purpose and circumstances of this move are not known. However, soon thereafter, Margaret Alice was left a widow with their four surviving children. Erastus died March 20, 1888, in Salt Lake city. (He was thirty-nine. Cause of death not known.) A few years after her husbands death, Margaret married Antone T. Christensen. They lived in Salt Lake City until their children were married, then the couple moved to California (after 1912). Comparatively little is known of Margaret's life with Brother Christensen. Certain letters from their correspondence indicate that this couple lived for a time in Ocean Park, California, and later in Long Beach, California. Upon the death of her sister, Janetta Ann Ferrin, Margaret was notified of her passing by a letter from their brother, Peter Howard McBride. Margaret's reply has been preserved. Written from Ocean Park, California dated January 22, 1925, the letter is informative about her condition at that time. Reproduced here, her letter reveals that she is happy and in good health (then seventy-one years old), although possessed with a certain longing to be nearer other family members, or return to "Zion." - - Following is the letter. The notations in parentheses are ours: Ocean Park, California, Jan. 22, 1925 My dear Brother Peter - Received your letter a few days since, telling of our dear sister's death. (Janetta Ann McBride Ferrin). Received a letter from brother Heber today and he is quite anxious to hear from you and all about sister. He says the weather has been extremely cold there, 40 and 50 below zero. Why did he go to such a cold place? (Welling Canada). The good Lord knows the Valley (Ogden) was cold enough. I sent your letter to Edna (Maggie's daughter) and told her to try and find Ether. (a brother). The weather is about the same here the year round, but we have had to keep the gas going here quite a bit this month, but everything is green and I picked some roses on my way to the store yesterday. I take a walk down to the ocean every day which takes me about ten minutes, then on to the store and ride home with Pa. Business very dull here. Not much doing now in Cal. We may move to Oakland as Pa can get a good position there as piano salesman, or we may go back to "Zion," which would please me better. I get so lonely here but Mr. C. (Christensen) is so crazy about this country and climate and all his children are here. My baby Lucille is in Oakland. Her husband is doing fine in the sporting and athletic goods, and Lucille makes good money in the Felt department. They have no family. Just a Dicky Bird. What is Phidelia (Janetta's daughter) doing there? And dear Sussannah (Janetts's daughter died May, 1924) had to go. We never know do we brother? My health is excellent and Pa hops around like a young man. Philip (her grandson) is a fine boy. Just turned 17. You must write to Heber as he seems quite anxious to hear all about Janetta and her family. Haven't seen a flake a snow in two years. Much love to dear Ruth (Peter's wife) and all the family. Wish I could see you all. May some day. We can ride out every day in the year here. Have a Mormon Church here. And a friend of Heber's from Canada leads the choir. Must write to Heber so good bye. Write soon Maggie. Another bit of correspondence adds to the record. This one written by Maggie's husband, Antone, upon the death of Peter's wife, Ruth Dated April 30, 1932, at Long Beach, California, Brother Christense offers condolences, then speaks thus of his wife's condition: - - Your good sister (Margaret Alice) is physically all well, but has lost her memory almost entirely. But she is loving, good and kind and I am caring for her the best I know how. Let us hear from you again soon - - - - . Your Brother and Sister, AT. Christensen From this we gather that they were then living in Long Beacl California, with Margaret's health beginning to fail, possibly from stroke. Apparently her condition worsened, rendering her physically debilitated. Margaret passed away in Long Beach, July 25, 1934.