Our Emma is serving a mission for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the California Arcadia Mission. She is learning Spanish. This past Monday she hit her 6 month mark. It has not been easy for Em, but she has persevered. She has clung to her faith and the faith of her ancestors as she has sown her testimony. She also found Jane along the way. Centuries separate them, but they share their faith. The faith Jane began to sew in England in the early 1800's.
Jane Lovenia Littlewood
1 October 1813- 23 April 1899
location: Isle of Man, England, UK (This is an island in the Irish sea between Great Britain and Ireland).
Parents: John Littlewood (1785-1857) and Francis Martin ((1733-1851)
marriage- James Rigby Sr. on October 7, 1832 in Manchester Lancashire, England, UK
While working as a chambermaid and seamstress for Queen Victoria of Kensington, Jane was introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (somewhere between 1837-1839). She was lovingly called, "Lady Jane." She married James Rigby Sr who was also a member of the church. When Jane left her position with Queen Victoria, the queen gave her a shawl. James and "Lady Jane" had four children before they left to join the Saints in Zion. Two of the children, Lovenia Jane (1833-1836) and Ann (1834-1836), died and were buried in Stockport, England. In 1840, they boarded the ship Leahigh, leaving behind both of their families. While aboard the ship, they lost another daughter (also named Lovenia. 1838-1840). She was buried at sea.
They arrived with Mary (1836-1917) in America in 1841. Soon after Jane and James had another daughter, Marie. However, Marie died in 1843 in St. Louis Missouri on their way west to Zion. In 1844 Jane gave birth to a son, James Jr. In 1846, a daughter, Margaret, joined the family while they were living in Nauvoo. In 1847, Charles Rigby (from whom Emma is a descendant) was born in August Iowa. Another daughter, Sophia Ellen, joined the family in August, 1849. Not long afterwards while making preparation to make the trek to Salt Lake, Jane's husband James died.
In the spring of 1850, Jane made the trek to Utah with six small in the company of Bishop Edward Hunters. They arrived in Salt Lake City on October 13, 1850. None of James' or Jane's family members joined the church.
Jane embraced her new faith, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints leaving behind her homeland and her family. She lost four children and her husband, but still she continued to in a new country, a new land with no family other than her six children.
While living in Salt Lake City, Jane married John Mayer. Together they had two children, Theressa and Millie Frances. John was quite affluent and Jane enjoyed the luxuries of living in the city. Jane went to Fairview to live with her daughter, Margaret. She died on April 23 1899 at the age of 86.
Jane was a seamstress by trade; she worked in Kensington palace. Adored by the queen, she was gifted a shawl from Queen Victoria upon leaving her employment. Dubbed, Lady Jane, she married, embraced a new faith, married, became a mother, experienced unimaginable loss, but continued onward- alone while six small children while clung to her petticoats. Jane sewed much more than fabric... she sewed faith, and it has trickled down for generations.
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