Description
The collection primarily consists of correspondence related to the Jarman
family, Mormon converts who immigrated from England to Utah in the 1860s. It
includes statements by Maria Bidgood Jarman Ford Barnes regarding her divorce from
her abusive, polygamous first husband; 26 letters sent to Maria from her son Albert
while he was serving on a mission trip to England from 1894-1895; and various
letters from other family members and friends, including the Dickert family, who
describe their life in Germany, and a friend who served on a mission to Switzerland
in 1897.
Background
Maria Bidgood Jarman Ford Barnes (1832-1924) was born in Devon, England. Dissatisfied
with the religious atmosphere of her day, she became interested in the evangelical
Plymouth Brethren. While attending one of their meetings, Maria met widower William
Jarman. They married in Exeter in 1862 and a son, Albert (1863-1929), was born a
year later. Maria later stated that William was prone to excess drinking and the
company of “lewd women,” and in 1865 he was briefly placed in an insane asylum in
Devonshire. Maria continued to support him after his release and a second child,
Maria, was born in Cudleigh in 1865. Soon after, a millinery apprentice named Emily
Richards came to live with the Jarmans and quickly became pregnant. Around the same
time the Jarmans received a copy of “The Faith” by Orson Pratt, and after a visit
from a Mormon elder were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. Less than six months later, the family arrived in Albany, New York, where
Emily gave birth to William’s child. The Jarmans lived in Albany for two years while
they saved the money to travel to Utah. They eventually emigrated with the Murdock
Company to Salt Lake City, arriving in August 1868. William married Emily in
December, after which time he became increasingly violent toward Maria and was
arrested for threatening to kill her in April 1869. Maria filed for divorce, and
soon after the couple’s separation she gave birth to a third child, who went by the
name John Jarman Bidgood (1869-1960). In May William was arrested for grand larceny.
After being acquitted on a technicality, he left his job at the Jennings Mercantile
Company and returned to England, where he became an outspoken opponent of the Mormon
Church. Maria found employment as a milliner at Auerbach’s Department Store, and
later ran a millinery business from her home. The family struggled financially, and
at the age of eight Maria’s daughter began working as a nursemaid. Maria married
Robert Henry Ford in 1881. Robert did not get along with Maria’s daughter, who moved
out of the house and later married Samuel DeGrey against her mother’s wishes. Edward
remained active in the Mormon Church and served on a mission to England from
1894-1895. Following Robert’s death, Maria married a man named Mark Barnes. She
later reconciled with her daughter and went to live with the DeGreys in 1919. She
died on February 5, 1924.
Restrictions
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activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is
one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.