Daughter of William Preator & Mary Jones

Married Peter Maughan, 8 Dec 1866, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.

Children: Frances Mary Maughan, Ada Lucille Maughan, Heber Chase Maughan.

Married Sylvanus Collett, 2 Dec 1872

Married John Crookston, 29 May 1876

Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 2, p. 419-420

History - Elizabeth was the youngest of ten children. She was baptized on the 24th of November, 1864. At the age of 18 years she emigrated to America. The following is an account of her journey.

"We left Liverpool, England, on May 30, 1866, in the ship Arkwright, and arrived in New York, July 6, 1866. Justin C. Wixom in charge of traveling. I was under the care of George Coatman and family from Gloucester, England. We outfitted at Wyoming, Nebraska, and joined Captain Daniel Thompson's ox-train of 84 wagons and about 500 emigrants, arriving in Great Salt Lake City, September 29, 1866. From there I went to live with my brother, Richard Preator, in Richmond, Cache Valley, where I met Peter Maughan, Presiding Bishop of Cache Valley, whom I later married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, on December 8, 1866.

"I walked the entire distance from Wyoming, Nebraska, to Salt Lake City. My brother's home was typical of pioneer homes of that early period, but not much to compare with our home in England, stone walks bordered by flowers and shrubs in bloom and the warm comforts inside. My brother and his wife were kind and tried to make me happy but I was so homesick I'd like to die. I went out into the barnyard, sat down by the haystack and cried and wished that a miracle would come and carry me back to England. The joys and sorrows of the long trek across the plains were mellowed by the anticipation of peace and rest that awaited us at our journey's end. Once I was terribly frightened when a group of Indian braves rode into camp as I was combing my hair, which was long, black and naturally curly. The chief slid off his horse, came and took my hair in his hands and let it slide through his fingers, exclaiming 'wyno, heap wyno.' I feared that he might be considering it for a scalp lock. I had heard of such."

When Peter Maughan died on the 24th of April, 1871, Elizabeth was left a widow at the age of 24 years, with three small children, Frances Mary, age 3; Heber Chase, age one and one-half; and Ada Lucille, seven weeks of age. This was a terrible blow to the young wife and mother, but more hardships were to follow. Just four months later the baby died of whooping cough. Frances Mary passed away at the age of nine years the 7th of January, 1877.

When Heber Chase was seven years old Elizabeth married John Crookston, a pioneer. Eight children were born to this union. In 1892, the family moved to Cache Junction. Many of their friends who had to wait for trains at this point, found time passing pleasantly in the friendly atmosphere of the Crookston home. She was always called Bessie by her family.

John Crookston passed away on October 29, 1919, at the Latter-day Saint hospital in Salt Lake City. After his death Bessie moved back to her old home, 140 North 1st East Street in Logan, where she lived until March 31, 1930, when she passed to the great beyond in the home which had been built for her by Peter Maughan. Her life had been devoted to building pioneer communities and to the service of God. —Ragna Johnsen Maughan