joseph smith braithwaite

1844-1934

History of Esther Taylor and Joseph Smith Braithwaite

written By Elga Henrie Larsen

Esther Taylor, daughter of Cyrenus Taylor and Emily Hatch Smith Taylor born 25 Jan. 1855, Manti, Sanpete, Utah. She married Joseph Smith Braithwaite, son of Rowland Braithwaite and Hannah Askew, born 23 Aug. 1844 in Kendal, Westmoreland, England. They are the parents of the following children:

Esther Izenna (1874 - 1960); Malinda (1876 - 1952); Joseph Henry (1878-1882); Sophronia (1881-1977); Harold Taylor (1885 - 1911); Amy Rozella (1888-1929); Clara Melissa (1892-1958); Edgar (1898-1898).

Joseph Smith Braithwaite was a beekeeper by trade and sold honey and vinegar. The dozen or more hives were kept in rows among his fruit trees. The trees were kept trimmed and beautiful. After his wife died and his daughters became married and left, he continued to keep his house and yard tidy. He also cooked for himself to the extent that he mixed and baked his own bread.

He was a talented man and carved with his pocket knife a beautiful replica two feet tall of the Manti Temple which was kept in a glass cage in his parlor on a small table. This temple now stands in the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Museum in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Other evidences of his talent were large gift framed pictures, composed of butterflies and moths of different sizes and color. Some of his arrangements are on walls of relative's homes today and are almost as bright and pretty as when they were first collected and pinned on the background of the pictures.

The Braithwaites were musical and had fine singing voices. Joseph had an accordion on which he could play almost any tune he ever heard and was willing to play. A special attraction at his home was a bright green parrot called Polly. The children were delighted when it talked to them. They loved to see it shell large sunflower seeds with its beak and eat the nuts inside.