Flew the Coop: Harriet (Huggett) Kelsey (1826-1899)

Do you have an ancestor who “flew the coop” or escaped from a situation to start a new life? My second great-grandmother, Harriet (Huggett) Kelsey, was set to inherit a fortune but was disinherited when she joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1841 in England. She escaped from an arranged marriage and later married a man of her choice setting in motion events that would end with her moving to a new country and starting a new life. As part of my 52 Ancestors series, in this blog post, I take a look at some of the early English records for Harriet’s life and the histories that tell her story.

Early Life in England

Harriet’s grandaughter, Lettie D. Peterson, compiled a history in April 1929.¹ She wrote:

Harriet Huggett was one of the triplet girls of Thomas and Jane Comber Huggett, born June 6, 1826 at Lovel Heath, Charwood Parish, England. One of the babies died at birth, the remaining two were called Harriet and Esther. They were so much alike that their mother tied a ribbon on the wrist of the older one, Harriet, to tell them apart. When they were grown, the Mormon Elders called them the London twins.

Until they were old ladies, the appearance of these sisters was so identical that it was difficult for a stranger to tell them apart. Before his marriage, even Grandfather would often become confused in this regard. Harriet always called him Brother Kelsey and Esther called him Mr. Kelsey which helped him distinguish them.

Harriet’s twin sister, Hester, was often called “Esther” after her emigration to Utah. This puzzled me for a time until I found a family group sheet that explained, with her English accent, her name sounded like “Esther.” Researchers have often confused the records for the sisters, at times creating separate profiles for Esther and Hester.

Prosperity and Fortune

Although born into a modest economic situation, Harriet had an opportunity to live a very different life. Her granddaughter’s history explains: ²

When Harriet and Esther were very small, their father died, 1828, leaving the mother with a large family to care for. As they grew older, they made their home with an older sister, Eliza and her husband.

This couple had only one child, a daughter named Emma. In the early part of their marriage, they had been very poor but grew to be very wealthy; whatever they undertook in a financial way prospered. They ran a store and owned rows of houses in London. Grandmother was to inherit this fortune equally with their daughter as she was considered the same as their own child, but was disinherited when she joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

While in this home, Grandmother had the very best of linens and silver, the most beautiful silks and satins, and in every way she was educated to be a lady. There were servants for all kinds of work and order prevailed everywhere.

At the age of sixteen, she was to have been married to a wealthy young man. All wedding arrangements were made but Harriet, not feeling satisfied, broke the engagement. This was a disappointment to her family as this marriage would have given her money and position. A number of the family had married poor people.

Church Membership and Marriage

What caused Harriet to break her engagement? She had begun investigating the doctrine of the relatively new religion being preached by Latter-day Saint missionaries. Although ridiculed by her family, she was baptized in 1841. Her mother, Jane (Comber) Kelsey, followed suit and was baptized on 21 June 1851 by Harriet’s husband-to-be: Elder William Henry Kelsey. Harriet and William married on 27 September 1852 in the Church of All Saints Parish of Croydon, county of Surry, England.³

William was born and raised in Kent County, England, and upon joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, began traveling the countryside as a missionary. Harriet’s grandaughter wrote:

As Grandfather was a poor traveling Elder with no income, Grandmother bought the wedding ring and paid for the wedding breakfast. From the time of their marriage, they made their home with her mother. Grandmother kept up the family expenses by renting a small store and managing it on her own.

After Grandfather had traveled for some time as a missionary and had presided over the Brighton and Croydon Branches, he became president of the Kent Conference. After this he began to draw some salary. Grandmother said that she did not know how she met these family expenses the way she did. The Lord blessed her in every way. She was not only able to keep the family but she paid for Grandfather’s expenses as well.

Her husband, William Henry was six feet two inches tall, of light complexion and had a dignified bearing. Harriet was small and could stand under his outstretched arm. She weighed ninety pounds, had a very dark complexion, and her hair was black, shiny, and slightly curly.

Harriet Huggett

William Henry Kelsey

Emigration to Utah Territory

Harriet and William made the decision to emigrate to Utah Territory to join other church members, and Harriet told her family of their journey across the Atlantic and the plains to Utah. Her granddaughter wrote:

She tried to follow the same methods here as in England in bathing her children. She would lie something on the floor for them to stand on as she could not bear the thought of her children standing on the ground. She had to drink out of a tin cup and eat from a tin plate. It was very hard for her to come to this poverty when she had been used to the best of everything. Yet she never complained.

She had been in Springville thirteen years before she bought her first pair of shoes as she had brought so many pairs with her. She was never able to sell any of her shoes as her feet were so small. She sold or exchanged her beautiful clothes, silks, satins, and lovely linen for food and less expensive clothes to wear.

Death and Burial

Harriet and William lived many years after their emigration to Utah, encountering all the difficulties of settling a new land. The Utah desert would have seemed much different from the green countryside of their native England.

Harriet died on 22 December 1899 and is buried in the Historic Springville Cemetery. ⁴

I’ve visited the grave site of Harriet and William many times and always think of the life she left behind. In March 0f 1892, they wrote letters to their children and grandchildren. The letters were placed in a box in the cornerstone of the old Springville, Utah, tithing office. When opened 50 years later in 1942, they were given to living members of the family.

In Harriet’s own words, we can see that despite the challenges of her life, she had no regrets about leaving her prosperous life and marrying a poor missionary.⁵

Springville, Utah
March 23, 1892

To my Dear Grandchildren:

I was born at Lovell Heath, Charwood Parish, England on the 6th of June 1826. I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints about fifty years ago by Elisha Davis from Utah. While in Croydon, I fed the Elders and sent donations to the Nauvoo Temple. I was married to William Henry Kelsey in 1852, who was then a traveling Elder. He was President of the Kent Conference. I came to America in an imigrant ship called the Monarch of the Sea in 1861. I passed through the cricket and grasshopper wars in Springville, Utah. I was a member of the Relief Society in 1868, and in 1877 I was appointed second Counselor to Ann D. Bringhurst who was then President. Since I have been a counselor to Sister Bringhurst, we have made hearts glad, made sad homes happy, cared for the poor and aged and gave many our blessings. I hope that all my grandchildren live to see the casket opened and read some of the history that was written fifty years ago. I place my photo in this casket and although I will not be alive when it is opened, we will meet in heaven. When time will be no more, its joys and sorrows fled; when all its cares are o’re, and numbered with the dead; then eternal life will shine, in God’s own presence all Devine.

Harriet Huggett Kelsey

As Harriet’s descendant, I’m grateful that she had the fortitude as a young woman to change the course of her life and provide an example of courage and perserverance.

1. Lettie D. Peterson, “The Life Story of Harriett Huggett,” Memories, Harriet Huggett KWJ8-WBF, digital version uploaded 2014 by Diana S. Elder, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/5660486 : accessed 4 August 2023).
2. Lettie D. Peterson, “The Life Story of Harriett Huggett,” Memories, Harriet Huggett KWJ8-WBF, digital version uploaded 2014 by Diana S. Elder, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/5660486 : accessed 4 August 2023).
3. Civil Marriage Registration, William Henry Kelsey and Harriett Huggett, 27 September 1852, Corydon Parish, Surrey County, England, digital image, Memories, Harriet Huggett KWJ8-WBF, uploaded by TERRY60, 2016, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/24209341 : accessed 4 August 2023).
4. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/84600/harriet-kelsey: accessed 04 August 2023), memorial page for Harriet Kelsey (6 Jun 1825–22 Dec 1899), Find a Grave Memorial ID 84600, citing Historic Springville Cemetery, Springville, Utah County, Utah, USA; Maintained by Dee (contributor 47925131). here
5. “The Following Letters Were Written by Harriet Huggett Kelsey and William Henry Kelsey,” Memories, Harriet Hugget, KWJ8-WBF, uploaded by TERRY60, 2016, digital version, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/24266978 : accessed 4 August 2023)