Margaret Ann Slinn Fox

First Wife of Isaac Wilson Fox

Life Sketch

By

John Alfred Fox, Grandson

Retyped from purple ditto copy with formatting and punctuation changes

By Dayleen Felt, February 2003

Margaret Ann Slinn was born 16 September 1816 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. Her parents were Joseph Slinn and Ann Marshall. She was baptized 5 November 1848 by Elder Sylvester, and confirmed 11 November 1848 by Elder Robert Dafft at Sheffield. She was about five feet tall, with a fair complexion, soft brown hair, and sparkling, keen, blue eyes. She, too, was a music lover, and had a fine singing voice. She was well informed, generally, as she read much.

She and her husband were praying people. They taught their family in proper living habits, in clean thinking, and to act honestly. They encouraged musical activity and study. In fact, all of the family were musical, either with a singing voice and/or playing an instrument. Margaret Fox was a wonderful cook, and took much delight in it. Some of the delicacies I remember were Yorkshire pudding, caraway buns, hot cross buns, rice pudding, flavored meats, cakes, and pies (black currant, red currant, gooseberry, mince meat, dried fruits, etc.)

The Bible stories she told were always interesting.

The doctors in England told grandmother she would not live to get to Utah because of her poor health. It is a testimony to us that she lived 47 years in Utah. It was her habit to drink a cup of lukewarm salt water before her morning meal. She practiced moderation in all things.

Grandfather (Isaac Wilson) built a three-room adobe house with a lumber and dirt roof for her. Margaret Ann lived in that very house until the last few years of her life. Then she was forced to move to a rented house because their own roof leaked so badly. When she moved, she sold the old home and lot. The last year or two of her life she lived with family members.

After my mother (Elizabeth Zimmerman Fox, wife of Isaac Fox) passed away, my father and my brother, Clyde, and I lived with Margaret Ann for about four years. During the time we lived there, I can remember how we had to put pans, etc., around to catch the leaking rain water which seeped through from the roof.

My grandmother, Margaret Ann Slinn, was kind, lovable, mild in temperament, very neat, ambitious, energetic, forgiving, humble, and prayerful.

She died 13 May 1907 in Lehi, Utah, when she was not quite 91 years of age.