Samuel George Read
Relationship: Father to Thisbe Quilley Read
Association: Soldier in the British Army and active in the East India Company. Promoted to a lieutenant and served as a member of the Bengal Marines. Member of the Martin Handcart Company.
Contents |
Vitals
- Born: (28 Feb 1807) (Stepney, London, Middlesex, England)
- Christened: (26 Mar 1807) (Stepney, London, Middlesex, England)
- Died: (8 Dec 1893) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)
- Buried: (18 Dec 1893) (Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)
- Plot: Grand Aveune, Plat J, Block 7
Spouse
Elizabeth Georgina Quilley m. (abt 1836) (St Dunstan's Church, Stepney, Middlesex, England)
(Permanently separated on return to Iowa)
Children:
- Clara Elizabeth Quilley Read; b. (16 Jul 1839) (, Lewisham, Kent, England)
- Alicia Quilley Read; b. (20 Oct 1840) (Limehouse, Stepney, Middlesex, England)
- Samuel Milford Read; b. (13 Oct 1841) (Bethnal Green, London, Middlesex, England)
- Thisbe Quilley Read; b. (25 Apr 1845) (Stepney, London, Middlesex, England)
- Walter Pyramus Read; b. (8 Aug 1848) (Poplar, London, Middlesex, England)
Spouse
Laura Ann Gibbs m. (1 Sep 1860) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah) (Divorce Decree)
Child:
- Laura Mariah Read b. (9 Aug 1863) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)
Spouse
Helena Danielsson m. (2 May 1868) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah) (Divorce Decree)
Child:
- Carolina Rosetta Lundberg (previous marriage)
Spouse
Martha Munroe m. (15 Feb 1871) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah)
Child:
- Josephine Eayrs Read; b. (4 Nov 1877) (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA)
Parents
Jacob Read b. (Abt 1761) (Of St Dunstan's, Stepney, Middlesex, England)
Elizabeth Carter b. (18 Jul 1775) (, Rochester, Kent, England)
History
Jacob Read, Samuel's father, was a timber merchant and was at least in the upper middle class of London Society. In the first deed located for Jacob in 1786, we now know that before Jacob became a timber merchant he was the merchant class as a linen draper. On background study of Poplar and the timber industry it is learned that a timber merchant was primarily acting as a wholesaler of an imported commodity.
Samuel was a half-pay officer for the East India Company. His father's (Jacob) timber yard was situated on the East India docks. An attempt was made to gain biographical information on Samuel Read in October of 1976 and it was determined he was an employee. Although biographical data for officers are extensive, nothing can be found on Samuel. A possible reason for this was that in 1834 many of the East India Company were pensioned off and outsiders were hired as half-pay officers.
Soldier in the British Army and active in the East India Company. Promoted to a lieutenant and served as a member of the Bengal Marines. Fought in the Crimea War.
Became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 18 Aug 1854. In the year of 1856, the last known residence in England was #2 Hawthorne Place, West India Road, Limehouse (close to Poplar), London.
Sailed on the ship Horizon out of Liverpool, leaving 4 May 1856 and arriving in New York 14 Jun 1856. Member of the Martin Handcart Company but 8 year old son, Walter Pyramus Read, became lost outside of Iowa near Council Bluffs and did not complete the company trek. Samuel George Read and son, Samuel Milford Read, returned to Iowa to locate Walter. It took several months to find Walter.
After being in the valley for a period of time wife Georgina had received word of the safety of her family. Daughter Alicia stayed in the home of Brigham Young, and Georgina and daughter Thisbe returned to Iowa to visit. Samuel and Georgina separated in marriage permanently once reunited in Iowa. Samuel returned alone to Salt Lake City in 1859. Georgina, Thisbe and Walter returned in 1861 arriving with the Ancel Harmon Ox Company, this time now 13 year old Walter driving the team for his mother and sister. Other son, Samuel Milford Read, returned to Salt Lake City in 1862.
In Salt Lake City, Utah Samuel was a bookkeeper in the office of the Deseret News until he established a business of dealing in books and newspapers under the name of the "London Newsdealer." The store was located on the North side of 1st South between Main & State Street near the Old Salt Lake Theater.
Obituary
"Another Old Timer Dies - Samuel G. Read - an old and well known Salt Laker, passes away at his residence at 249 South Fifth West Street, from La grippe after an illness of little more than a week.
The deceased was the father of Superintendant (Walter) Read of the City railroad and was born in London in 1807.
He entered the British Army when a young man and was engaged principally in the East India service. He made an excellent soldier and was promoted to a Lieutentancy, a member of the Bengal Marines.
In 1856, he left England for the United States. He lived in Iowa for three years and came to Salt Lake City in 1859 and resided here constantly from that time until his demise.
For a considerable time past he was manager of the "London Times Depot" at the Rio Grande Western Railway Station.
He leaves a wife and five sons (sic) and three daughters to mourn his death. Funeral services will be held from the 15th Ward meeting house on Sunday next at 11:30 a.m."
"Elias Morris, Bishop of 15th Ward presided at funeral of Samuel. The attendance was large and the floral tributes many. Consoling remarks were made by George Reynolds, William Spicer, R. T. Burton, John Y. Smith & William Binder. The speakers were old acquaintances of the deceased and bore testimony of his honesty and integrity as a man."
Deseret News, 8 Dec 1893, LDS Church Historian's Office, SLC, Utah & Deseret News, 11 Dec 1893, pg 8; or FHL #26,934
- Samuel was still in the bookstore business at the time of his death, per Laura Mariah Read Stephens.
Images
Samuel George Read, husband of Elizabeth Georgina Quilley - Arnold Family Collection
Inscription found in back of photo frame in Samuel George Read's handwriting - Arnold Family Collection {See Read Portrait Inscription)
Elizabeth Georgina Quilley Read Rodwell - Arnold Family Collection
Elizabeth Georgina Quilley Read - wife of Samuel George Read. Marriage date is calculated by the birth of first child and Georgina's previous marriage. - Arnold Family Collection
Laura Ann Gibbs - wife of Samuel George Read married 1 Sep 1860, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Laura Ann Gibbs & Samuel George Read marriage reported in the Millennial Star.
1880 Census; Salt Lake City, Utah; living next to daughter Clara Read Cook & granddaughters - Elizabeth G. Cook & Milbrough A. Cook
Martha Munroe - wife of Samuel George Read married 15 Feb 1871, Salt Lake City, Utah - Norman Nielsen Collection
East India House - Samuel George Read employed as a lieutenant in the service of the East India Company; later he was employed in the office of the general mercantile department of the docks of that company in London, England.
Jacob Read's (father of Samuel) timber yard was situated on the East India docks. On background study of Poplar and the timber industry it is learned that a timber merchant was primarily acting as a wholesaler of an imported commodity.
India gauze brought from Calcutta and made into a dress for daughter, Laura Mariah Read - dress in storage at the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Museum. Fabric is badly deteriorating with threads pulling apart. Donor: Laura Read Stephens, native pioneer. 6 Nov 1945. - photo courtesy of Sherry Smith
Description of India gauze dress - Item #1552. Child’s Dress. Material called India gauze, brought from Calcutta, India by S. G. Read, who was a lieutenant in the British army in the Crimean War and a friend of Florence Nightingale. His wife made the dress for their daughter Laura. The dress is green, brown, white, with leaf pattern. Tiered skirt. Attached tan colored corded heavy petticoat. Lined waist.
Engraving on sword - Death before dishonor, Samuel Read, Hon. the East India Camp ye Bengal Marine, Calcutta, 1826.
Samuel G. Read volunteer for the Bengal Pilot Service (also known as the Bengal Marine to distinguish from the Bombay Marine, forerunner of the modern Indian Navy) by the East India Company's Committee of Correspondence, in London, 8 Jun 1825.
Samuel George Read - bookkeeper at the former home of the Deseret News, northeast corner of South Temple and Main. The Joseph Smith Memorial Building (the former Hotel Utah) is now located on this site.
Construction at South Temple and Main Street. The Brigham Young Monument went up in 1897, and the Deseret News building came down in 1910 to make room for the Hotel Utah. The Brigham Young Memorial Building under construction was built in
London News Depot - Bookstore of Samuel George Read - North side of 1st South between Main & State Street near the Old Salt Lake Theater, Salt Lake City, Utah
London News Depot - Advertisement
Moved bookstore from North side of 1st South between Main & State Street near the Old Salt Lake Theater to a location across from the Rio Grande Railroad Station, Salt Lake City, Utah
Samuel George Read, Martha Munroe, John Rodwell, Elizabeth Georgina Quilley - Sherry Smith Collection
Samuel George Read Marker
Salt Lake City Cemetery Map
Thisbe Quilley Read journal entry about her father's ancestry, page 73 - in possession of Sherry Smith
Books
The Tempered Wind - By Sidney Alvarus Hanks. A biography of Thisbe Quilley Read. Hard copy available in the Special Collections of the BYU Harold B. Lee Library. Call number BX 8670.07 .H194.
- Online HTML Tempered Wind
- Tempered Wind (PDF format, 3.5M, contributed by Doug Allen)
Links
- Mormon Migration
- East India Docks
- India Office Records
- London, Middlesex, England
- History of the Pioneer Cemeteries
- St. Dunstan Stepney Church
- East London Family History Society
