Rowney Family Tree

Margaret KIRKMAN, born 11 April 1817, Manchester, England, the fifth child of John and Mary Alice Ashworth KIRKMAN.

Margaret's parents emigrated from England to South Africa and were known among the Settlers of 1820 of South Africa.

Living conditions were very poor and many hardships were endured, as all who attempted to settle new land found out. Besides the hardships of building homes, the Kaffir tribes continued to harrass the settlers. They were constantly in danger of attack. This deprived the family of comforts and the necessities of life; and interfered with the school training of the young people.

Margaret KIRKMAN and John GREEN were married 23 December 1835, and to this union nine children were born, six sons and three daughters. Both parents were students of the Bible and well versed in its teachings.

Margaret Kirkman GREEN was a woman of strong character, a deep thinker, firm and true to her convictions. She was naturally religious, a devout christian, a faithful wife, a loving mother and a true and trusted friend. She was honest and true to every principle of truth and taught her children a faith in Jesus Christ, to be obedient and submissive to law and authority and to earn their living by honorable means. She was charitable and forgiving.

In 1853, three missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were sent from England to South Africa to open a mission for the preaching of the Gospel in Africa. They were Elders Jesse HAVEN, Leonard I. HARRIS and William H. WALKER. They arrived at Cape Town, April 19, 1853, sailing from England February 11, 1853, and on May 23, 1853, they organized the Mission in South Africa and on June 15, 1853, Wednesday, Elder Leonard HARRIS baptized Henry STRINGER, who was the first person to be baptized in Africa and within six months the Elders had baptized 45 persons, organized two branches and blessed a number of children.

Shortly after the opening of the Mission for the preaching of the Gospel in South Africa by the Elders of the Church, Margaret Kirkman GREEN met the only Mormon Elder who came into that part of the country, heard his message, listened to it attentively and conversed with him, read the doctrine as taught and was soon converted and baptized into the Church, being among the early converts in Africa. She was baptized by Elder William H. WALKER, February 17, 1854. Her children were baptized and her husband John GREEN, was baptized seven months later.

From the Journal of Elder WALKER we read, "About the first of March Margaret Kirkman GREEN was stricken with a serious illness, the Elders were called in to administer to her, she was restored to her health almost immediately. This was an incident that greatly strengthened the testimony of Margaret and John and their family.

Margaret Kirkman GREEN having accepted the Gospel and witnessing it by being baptized received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands which gave her an abiding testimony of the divinity of the mission of Joseph SMITH and with this testimony came also the spirit of gathering to Zion with the Saints of God and in accordance with that spirit and desire she and all her children, except a daughter Mary Ann who was married. She also brought a granddaughter with her departing for America, Leaving from Algoa Bay, now Port Elizabeth, March 21, 1863, arriving in New York, May 24, 1863.

When they arrived in the United States the Civil War was raging, Almost at once the sons of Margaret GREEN were called to join the armies of the North. This they did, and as a result her son John lost the sight of one eye.

They joined a company of immigrants who were under the charge of Elder John STOCKS, they arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah, September 2, 1863.

Shortly after arriving in Utah, Margaret and her family settled in Layton, where they lived in a dug-out for a short time. They obtained about 100 acres of land which still remains under the same name.

Her son George kept the place in Layton and Margaret went with her son John and other members of the family, to Enterprise in Weber Canyon. The boys went in to the mountain and cut pine trees and built a fine log cabin for their mother. She was very proud of this home.

John GREEN did not come with the family to Utah. He stayed to dispose of his estate and was to come the next year. He defended and helped to carry on the work of the Lord, after the missionaries left Africa. He died there before he could join his family. He and one son and one daughter are buried there.

On one occasion a bundle of blankets and other items of wearing apparel arrived from John in South Africa which was indeed needed. Other packages which he sent were never received.

During the last few years of Margaret's life she was confined to her bed, but she remained faithful to her religion. One morning in March 1883, Margaret told her family she had dreamed their father had died during the night. She was upset, but felt very strongly that it was so. Three months later they received a letter from South Africa stating John was dead. He had died the same day Margaret had dreamed about it.

Margaret Kirkman GREEN was a tender hearted woman with a loving disposition and firm in her convictions; she was a lover of peace, a defender of truth, Obedient to law, submissive to the authority of God. By her kindly disposition, her gentleness of manners and the abundance of love of which she possessed, she not only held a powerful influence over her children, but she gathered around her many friends all of whom felt their lives had been made better by having known and associated with such a character. She met the problems of life as they came with courage and never complained of her lot, but always was cheerful and acknowledged that the Lord had been kind to her and her family and bestowed many blessings upon her.

She was a frail woman, rather delicate, but wherever there was sickness, there you would find Margaret Kirkman GREEN, always willing to help lighten the load others were called to bear. She was an invalid for several years before her death and confined most of the time to her bed, but in it all she never faltered in her faith or shrank from duty and died with the testimony the Joseph SMITH was a Prophet of God and with a prayer in her heart that her children would remain faithful to the end. She died at her home in Enterprise, Utah, at the age of 66 years, 5 months and 2 days, September 13, 1883.

SOURCE: Green Family Organization (1974). John Green Family Record Book (pp. 1-4). [www.wheatleyfamily.net]