Born: 19 May 1868 at Royton near Oldham, Lancashire, England
Father: Henry Clay
Mother: Sarah Woodhead
Married: Esther Louise Phillips on 13 June 1895 at Salt Lake Temple
My ancestors as far back as I know are of English descent. My father, Henry Clay, was born at Basford, Nottingham, England June 17th, 1839. He worked for the farmers in this neighborhood until about twenty years of age, when he went to the cotton factories at Lancashire to work. Here he met my mother, Sarah Woodhead. They were married in the old Rochdale Church in the fall of 1860. Both belonged to the Church of England. Six children were born to them, viz: Thomas, Joshua, Sarah Ann, Henry, James William, and Edward. All of them except myself, Henry, and James William were buried in England. On the 3rd of January 1866, he was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, being a member of the Rochdale Branch.
On the 27 of May 1866 he was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood, to the office of a teacher by Leonard G. Rice. He was forced to move several times on account of his religion.
On the 25 August 1869 he was appointed to preside over the Oldham Branch. On the 20th of Nov the same year, his wife, my mother, died and on the 20th of May 1870 he married a widow, Elizabeth Tidham by name.
In July 1875 he was set apart as District President of Ashton Underlane, Oldham, & Rochdale branches. In June 1877 he started for Utah, arriving here July 3rd. After many hardships, he sent for his family, but his first wife's relatives made trouble and it took the price of the wife's ticket to settle it. She sent the children on with friends, and waited for more money to be raised for her own fare.
In 1879 they had the privilege of going to the House of the Lord and receiving their Endowments. On the 8th of November, 1883, his wife died. Later he married Mary Ann Johnson Woodhead. On the 28th of Feb, 1888 he was ordained to the office of a Seventy in the 100th Quorum of Seventies. He died on the 12th of April 1900 and was buried in the Bountiful Cemetery. Three wives, Elizabeth, Mary Ann and Elvina M. are buried there also.
Personal Sketch of Henry Clay
I was born on the 19th of May 1868 in Royton near Oldham, Lancashire, England, being the first child born to my parents after joining the Church. One of my earliest recollections is of my mother's death, I being at that time 4-1/2 years old. At the age of eight, I was baptized by Elder Thomas Wright, walking six miles at midnight to have the ordinance performed. I can also remember going to live with some relatives, but as father was not satisfied with existing conditions, he married again and took us home. I wish to say here in this record that this good woman was all that any mother could have been to us boys.
After my father came to Utah, my brother James and my myself went to live with mother's people again. When father set the money for our fares to Utah, they would not let my stepmother have us without paying 60 dollars, which was the price of our tickets. They expected by this means to prevent our coming, but mother raised the money for her own ticket to satisfy their claims and sent us on with friends, she joining us six months later.
We arrived in Bountiful October 3rd, 1878.
We now worked where ever we could obtain employment. I worked one summer for David Briggs and two summers for James Hack, both of whom are now dead. My father did considerable work at concrete building, I helping him, until we obtained a place of our own, when we went to market gardening. Later I spent several seasons working on the brickyard.
On the 13th of June 1895, I married Esther Louisa Phillips of Porterville, Morgan County. We were married in the Salt Lake Temple, going to Park City to live. Here I was employed in the mines. While here, a daughter was born to us. We named her Sarah Leonore. She was blessed by Elder Thomas Gilchrist.
In September 1898, the mine closed down and we returned to Bountiful, my former home. About two years later I went to Canada to work on the Alberta canal, staying about three months, when I returned to my family. I have moved around considerably, living in Salt Lake City, Morgan, back to Salt Lake, then to Forest Dale, and am now back in my old home town, Bountiful.
Have had my share of accidents, having had my ribs fractured while working in the Northern Light mine at Mercur and later had my scalp cut open in the same mine, having had seven stitches put in to repair the injury, had my foot cut open chopping down oak brush, came nearly being buried in a cave-in in the Ontario mine, and last - but not least - came nearly being murdered by drunken railroad strikers while riding on the streetcar. We have nine children, 6 sons and 3 daughters, all of whom are living. For further particulars along this line , see personal sketch of my wife, Esther Louisa Phillips Clay.
My brother James W, with his family live in Beaver City.
Church Ordinations and Callings:
1st Counselor in Teacher's Quorum, Bountiful Ward, Davis Stake
Teacher in Sunday School, Morgan Ward, Morgan Stake 1906-1908
Teacher in Sunday School, Forest Dale Ward, Granite Stake 1911-1913
Ordained to office of Deacon by Ianthus Barlow
Ordained to office of Teacher by Joseph Jones Holbrook
Ordained to office of Elder by James Smedley
Ordained to office of High Priest by H. J. Sheffield
Henry Clay ordained to the office of an High Priest by H. J. Sheffield the 17 day of January, 1914. H. J. Sheffield was ordained by Joseph H. Clark.
Have been a ward teacher in Park City Branch, South Morgan Ward, and here in Bountiful where I am still in the harness.
-from the Genealogical Record of Henry Clay
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