BANKS, William Ellis-[823] ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7}

   Ancestral File Number: 1SCK-HQ.

   General Notes:

Our Pioneer Heritage Volume 1
Their Contribution To Utah
The Banks Family—1855
Copied from Ancestry.com 4/26/2002

William Ellis Banks and Ellen Lyre Banks were both born in Dansby, Lincolnshire, England. He was born March 16, 1820, the second son of William and Sarah Moore Banks. Ellen Eyre was born September 21, 1821. She was the daughter of James and Ann Naulor Eyre. The Banks were married in England and lived there until after their first three children were born. About the time the third child was born, England was starting the colonization of their Provinces, including Australia, and the family was attracted by the liberality of the English government. In 1837 they set sail for Australia. They were on the ocean six months and during the voyage two of their children died and were buried at sea.

Our Pioneer Heritage Volume 1 Their Contribution To Utah The Banks Family—1855 When they arrived at Australia, William worked at fencing a large ranch. Later he went to work in the mines at Balarat, and his family moved to Melbourne where his brother Joseph and wife, Charolette, a sister of Ellen, found them. Joseph then secured a wagon and moved the two families to Balarat to join William. Meanwhile William decided to return to Melbourne to visit his family and upon arrival found them gone. Desperately he searched for them but was unable to find a clue to where they had gone, and, so, heartsick he returned to his mining job. While passing through a small village on the return trip he observed a little boy with curly hair playing on the sidewalk. He approached the boy and asked his name, all the time saying to himself "dash my rags if that's not my boy." "Oh, I'm William E. Banks' boy" was the reply. Soon the family was reunited.

Our Pioneer Heritage Volume 6 Pioneer Midwives [Part Ii] From England Emigrant's Guide Ellen Eyer Banks was born September 2, 1820, in Douby, Lincolnshire, England, the daughter of James Eyer and Ann Nailor. She married William E. Banks and to them were born three children. In 1842 there was a move in England to colonize a section of Australia and many people left the British Isles to take up land in the new country. Among them was the William E. Banks family. During the voyage to Australia two of their children died and were buried at sea. For a time they lived in Melbourne and then moved to Ballarat where William worked in the mines. Four more children were born there, two of whom died with croup. It was here that William and Ellen first heard the gospel as taught by Latter-day Saint missionaries and soon they were eager for baptism. After having spent twelve years in Australia they set sail for America. Near New Zealand the old sailing vessel sprang a leak but was repaired and continued on its journey. Near the Hawaiian Island more trouble was encountered, the passengers barely escaping with their lives. All of their baggage was lost including the savings which the Banks had so carefully hoarded to build a new home in a new land.



Our Pioneer Heritage
Volume 1
Their Contribution To Utah
The Banks Family—1855

William Ellis Banks and Ellen Lyre Banks were both born in Dansby, Lincolnshire, England. He was born March 16, 1820, the second son of William and Sarah Moore Banks. Ellen Eyre was born September 21, 1821. She was the daughter of James and Ann Naulor Eyre. The Banks were married in England and lived there until after their first three children were born. About the time the third child was born, England was starting the colonization of their Provinces, including Australia, and the family was attracted by the liberality of the English government. In 1837 they set sail for Australia. They were on the ocean six months and during the voyage two of their children died and were buried at sea.

When they arrived at Australia, William worked at fencing a large ranch. Later he went to work in the mines at Balarat, and his family moved to Melbourne where his brother Joseph and wife, Charolette, a sister of Ellen, found them. Joseph then secured a wagon and moved the two families to Balarat to join William. Meanwhile William decided to return to Melbourne to visit his family and upon arrival found them gone. Desperately he searched for them but was unable to find a clue to where they had gone, and, so, heartsick he returned to his mining job. While passing through a small village on the return trip he observed a little boy with curly hair playing on the sidewalk. He approached the boy and asked his name, all the time saying to himself "dash my rags if that's not my boy." "Oh, I'm William E. Banks' boy" was the reply. Soon the family was reunited.
The two brothers and their families next moved to a small town called Forest Creek where they worked in the mines. They took out one pound of gold a week which they sold in Melbourne for $21.00 per ounce. While working at the mine the brothers accumulated considerable property and money.

Joseph had joined the Latter-day Saint Church in England and brought the gospel to William and Ellen in Australia. Later another brother, John, also joined the Church.

During their stay in Australia four more children were born to Ellen. Their names were Francis, George, Charlotte and Ellen. Little curly headed George, at a very early age, would climb upon a chair and preach to his family at great length. During one of these sermons he turned to his sister Charlotte and said, "You and I will go to heaven after a little while, dressed in little red dresses." Ellen remembered the little boy's words and it troubled her a great deal. A few months later the two children contracted croup and died. They were buried in their little red dresses.

The spirit of gathering took hold of the brothers and their families, and they began to prepare to gather with the Saints in Utah. Elder Frost engaged passage for a large company and they set sail on the ship "Tarquenia" on the 23rd of April, 1855. Just off the coast of Honolulu the ship sprung a leak, so they landed there July 5, 1855. The vessel was repaired and they set sail again on the 18th. Four days later they returned to Honolulu for further repairs.

On the 20th of August the good ship Willamette picked them up and brought them to San Francisco, where they docked in October, 1855. After four days in that city they went to San Pedro by boat and after another four days went on to Los Angeles thence to San Bernardino where they found work making ditches. There Ellen Banks began her life work of helping to bring babies into the world. During her life she delivered some four hundred without the loss of a single mother. While they were living in San Bernardino Ellis Banks, Jr., was born April 3, 1857 and was a child in arms when the family came on to Utah, arriving in Parowan, April 25, 1858. They came by the Southern route and passed near the Mountain Meadows shortly after the great tragedy of this western land.

William Ellis Banks was pointed in his speech and fearless in his defense of the truth. He was a Seventy in the Church. Once,just a short time before his death, Bishop Dame called him to speak at the sacrament meeting. He had not been asked to speak for several years and in his remarks turned to the bishop and said, "Brother Dame is a good man, but don't deal with him, for he will nip you if he can." Needless to say he didn't speak in church again. He died true to the faith January 7, 1889 and was buried in the Parowan cemetery.

Ellen Banks continued her practice of midwifery after his death for several years. Everyone loved her and many have been blessed by her kindness and devotion. She died at the home of her daughter, Lovina Banks Bentley, in Parowan, July 11, 1897.

Francis who was born at Sydney, Australia died July 30, 1911; Ellen who was born in Melbourne, Australia, December 18, 1854, died April 13, 1858 at Wheat Grass Ranch and was buried in the Parowan cemetery. —Roberta B. Rowley

   Events:

1. Occupation. Agricultural Laborer

2. Alt Birth, 16 Mar 1820, Dansby, Lincoln, England. ^{6 8}

William married Ellen EYRE-[824] [MRIN:280], daughter of James EYRE-[1164] and Ann NAYLOR-[1166], on 5 Apr 1841 in Bourne, Dowsby, Lincolnshire, England. (Ellen EYRE-[824] was born on 20 Sep 1820 in Bourne, Dowsby, Lincolnshire, England, christened on 23 Sep 1820 in Dowsby, Lincolnshire, England, died on 9 Jul 1898 in Parowan, Iron, Utah, USA and was buried on 11 Jul 1898 in Parowan, Iron, Utah, USA.)

   Marriage Notes:

EHOUS - Endowment House