Alice Christie Moses
Birth - 1 May 1829 in Kkilpatrick, Renfrews, Scotland
Death – 25 Apr 1893 in
Taylorsville, Salt Lake, Utah
Emmigrated to Utah in 1861
Married George Reuben Moses in 1862
THE LIFE OF ALICE CHRISTIE MOSES A UTAH
PIONEER OF 1861 Alice Christie, daughter of John Christie and Margaret Rainey,
was born 1 May 1829 at Renfrewshire, Killpatrick Parrish, Scotland. Of her
early youth very little is known. She was of a religious and loving nature and
was always wanting to do for others. Following this desire to be of service to
mankind, she entered the Edinburgh Hospital at Scotland and trained in nursing
for two years. After practicing there for some time she decided to come to this
country for her religious views, as her family was very bitter towards
Mormonism. After much saving and hard work she could see it would be a number
of years before she could make the trip to the States. One day an Elder of the
LDS church came to her and told her that if she had faith and made up her mind
to go that by the time she arrived her passage would be paid. This was true for
she nursed sick on the boat and in this way paid for her passage. She was
married to a man by the name of McPhail and through this union she had three
sons and a daughter. She wasn't privileged to bring her children with her, her
husband taking them away from her at the boat. Her baby daughter was only two
years old. Mother never saw her sons again but the daughter came when she was
17 years old, Mother sending for her. After landing she lost very little time
in getting to the Saints in Utah. She arrived in Salt Lake Valley in 1861 and
began her nursing or whatever work she could find to do. She nursed under Dr.
Tergerson, and Dr. Bendict and many other early physicians. While in Salt Lake
she met George R. Moses and in 1862 they were married. Although her profession
was caring for the sick, she was a splendid helpful mate doing her share of
whatever occupation her husband undertook. They ran a boarding house and when
Father's work took him to Camp Floyd, he drove the stagecoach between Salt Lake
and Camp Floyd. Mother took over all duties cleaning, cooking, etc. in running
the home. Finally, the Salt Lake home was sold and the family moved to
Cottonwood - Mother, Father and one child. When calls came from the sick,
Mother was always ready and willing to go and many times she used her own
supplies when families were too poor to provide. At one time Mother was called
to a home where the mother was sick. It was very cold and stormy, the rain
coming through the walls and the wind blowing around the sick bed. Mother took
off her own wool shawl and hung it around the bed, and came home without it.
Taking from herself to give to others was a common thing, not only food and
clothing but medicines as well, and it was always the best we had. Moving from
Cottonwood the family homesteaded on the banks of the Jordan River in the ward
known as North Jordan. Later when the ward was divided, their home was in
Taylorsville Ward. In the new ward Mother was very active in Relief Society and
taught her children principles of the gospel. While on the farm many were the
tasks to do. It was a very common thing to make 45 pounds of butter with the
old fashioned churn every week and then drive to Salt Lake and trade for food
supplies and clothing. In order that nothing was wasted, Mother and we children
would glean over the grain fields after the harvesters were through. A lot of
this grain was given to the less fortunate. In the old homestead there were no
carpets on the floors for a long time but the boards were spotless. A lot of
the home work was done by the children as Mother was away nursing, going over
the whole Salt Lake Valley. When she was called out, Father would take her most
of the time but sometimes Mother would go alone. She was very well known for he
work in the Wards of the Valley as well as her own ward. She was the mother of
four children: Catherine Jane Moses MacKay, George R., Louis H. and Alfred, by
George R. Moses. Mother died April 25, 1893 at Taylorsville. Impressive funeral
services ere held and many were the homes that missed her.
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