Aunt Polly's Ranch (Our Grandmother)

Aunt Polly's Ranch by Verlene Smart Ellis

James George DAVIES/DAVIS and Polly WILLIAMS 

with their youngest children Albert DAVIS and Alice Mae DAVIS. 

I always admired the large red mountains east of Kanarraville, knowing they had very special memories of my great grandmother, Polly Williams Davies. She had become a colorful legend to we, her progenitors. She was my grandmother, Alice Mae Pollock's, mother. "Aunt Polly" as she was known, was a fascinating story teller. "Uncle Jim", James George Davies, her husband, and "Aunt Polly", were very charitable people and many visitors stopped at their doorstep in Kanarraville, getting hot delicious meals or a quick cold lunch of head cheese or scrapple packed in crocks. Everyone was welcome! James and Polly developed a ranch in the "Upper Basin" part of those large red mountains east of Kanarraville, where many of her stories come to mind, instilling in me a desire to witness and enjoy some of her memories there. . We were visiting cousins, Joan and Ronald Williams, after a family reunion, and I mentioned my desire to someday travel to the top of those Kanarra mountains where "Aunt Polly" lived. Ronald said, "If you do not mind riding in a truck, I, will take you to "Aunt Polly's" mountain today!" Of course we went on that bumpy little dirt road up and over steep hills until we reached the top of "Polly's" mountain, and to our surprise, we beheld a beautiful green meadow with a cool stream flowing through "Polly's" area. Oh such memories of "Aunt Polly's" stories filled my bosom as I walked the paths she walked. Pieces of broken crocks were picked up and held closely as I envisioned the many crocks of cheese she made during her summer's stay on the mountain. The bushes of berry blossoms gleamed in the sunshine as I strolled in between her little cabin home comer stones, still in place after these many years. Tears in place, pictures taken and a quiet ride, we started back down the mountain. "It was here," I shouted out loud, "just about here", I said With my arms stretched out to the right of the road. "Yes, about here Uncle Jim pulled his buck board wagon, full of harvested supplies of food, cheese and berries to side of this little, dirt road." Polly was pregnant and labor started. "My precious grandmother, Alice Mae Davies was born,right here,on August 18, 1883". Alice was Polly's 11th and last child. Yes, Alice was born on this, Polly's mountain, the same mountains I look at and admire whenever I am near Kanarraville, Utah,and I was there, there on those hallowed mountain areas. By: Verlene Smart Ellis Notes: Polly Williams Davies was 6 years old and living near the Prophet Joseph Smith, when he was assassinated in 1844. She was 11 years old when she crossed the plains by ox team with her mother, Marcy Jane Lucas Williams. Her father, John Williams, had passed away in 1844 and very much against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Polly was 6 years old when he died. Polly, born May 28, 1838, was first baptized June 10, 1847, another date recorded July 10 1851.

Ancestry Chain: TR, Lark, Kirt DeMar WOOD, Laura Elizabeth PARKER, Elizabeth Ann DAVIS, Polly WILLIAMS and James George DAVIES/DAVIS.