A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF MARTHA JANE HEARNS
This life story is located in my grandmother
Leta Boice Boutwell’s Book of Remembrance
(Spelling and punctuation corrections have been made
– no changes were made to the sentence structure or voice
– other corrections will be shown in parenthesis –
Linda Fretwell Duchaine – June 2007)
Martha Jane Hearns was the daughter of Thomas Herns and
Martha Jane Cronk. She was born (abt) 1817 at Fredricksburg,
Upper Canada, and was married to John Boice, 7 June 1835.
They both heard of the Gospel and embraced the same shortly
after their marriage.
In the year 1837, she with her husband and two children namely, Martha Jane and Thomas, left Canada and
made their home in Kirtland, Ohio. It was at this place that they endured severe persecution, hardship and
privation along with other Saints.
In the year 1838, they started for Missouri but were driven back by a cruel mob, and they were forced to stay
at Barry, Pike County, Illinois where their son Benjamin was born 7 Oct 1839.
After remaining here for a time, they started back to Kirtland but was forced to stay in the town of Hudson,
Ohio as Martha Jane took critically ill, which was due to privation and hardship, while in a weakened condition.
After weeks of suffering, she became very much depressed and seemed to loose hope in the new religion
which she had embraced. For she almost regretted leaving her home and friends for the sake of the Gospel.
While in this frame of mind she seemed to realize her near departure into a better world, as she arranged with
a woman living in the neighborhood to rear her three children.
It was on the 10 February 1940 that she seemed to have gone to her well earned rest, for her lifeless body lay
on a stretcher, in the far end of a large room, while tallow candles cast a restful glow upon a group of women
who surrounded a table and was busily engaged in fashioning white material, with which to clothe her lifeless
form for its last sleep.
A sorrowful husband was also present, his only occupation during the lonely night was to keep alive the fire
that glowed upon the hearth. In the midst of this stillness, a familiar voice called out, “John, John, raise me up”.
To the astonishment of all present, it was Jane speaking. Rushing to where she lay, John raised her up and
she said, “O, don’t be afraid, I have only come back to stay for a short time and to rectify my mistake, as I had
promised a certain woman that I was willing that she should rear my little ones, but I now want my husband to
rear two of them, for I am going to take one of them with me”.
She then bore a strong Testimony of the Latter Day Work, that Angelic spirits had declared to her, that Joseph
Smith is the great Prophet raised up to open up this last Dispensation, and she continued to bear this
testimony until her last breath.
Martha Jane had lain in a trance for twenty-four hours, and she was permitted to come back to bear her
Testimony. At the end of four hours 8:00 AM, it being the very hour that she went into the trance, her spirit
took its flight. The women then resumed their sewing and preparations for the funeral was carried out.
Some neighbors stayed at home with the children during the funeral and burial of their mother. Thomas played
about in the usual way, until shortly before the return of his Father, the child died, not from any sickness
perceivable, and he was laid to rest by the side of his Mother.
This incident is recorded in Grandmother’s Diary, Page 32 and was rewritten by Rachel Boice Olson, 4 Oct
1935 at Castle Gate, Utah.
Mary Ann Barzee was Rachel Boice Olson’s Grandmother. She was the 2nd wife of John Boice your great
great Grandfather.
This was John E. Boice’s grandmother, Martha Jane Herns Boice.
This life story is located in my grandmother
Leta Boice Boutwell’s Book of Remembrance
(Spelling and punctuation corrections have been made
– no changes were made to the sentence structure or voice
– other corrections will be shown in parenthesis –
Linda Fretwell Duchaine – June 2007)
Martha Jane Hearns was the daughter of Thomas Herns and
Martha Jane Cronk. She was born (abt) 1817 at Fredricksburg,
Upper Canada, and was married to John Boice, 7 June 1835.
They both heard of the Gospel and embraced the same shortly
after their marriage.
In the year 1837, she with her husband and two children namely, Martha Jane and Thomas, left Canada and
made their home in Kirtland, Ohio. It was at this place that they endured severe persecution, hardship and
privation along with other Saints.
In the year 1838, they started for Missouri but were driven back by a cruel mob, and they were forced to stay
at Barry, Pike County, Illinois where their son Benjamin was born 7 Oct 1839.
After remaining here for a time, they started back to Kirtland but was forced to stay in the town of Hudson,
Ohio as Martha Jane took critically ill, which was due to privation and hardship, while in a weakened condition.
After weeks of suffering, she became very much depressed and seemed to loose hope in the new religion
which she had embraced. For she almost regretted leaving her home and friends for the sake of the Gospel.
While in this frame of mind she seemed to realize her near departure into a better world, as she arranged with
a woman living in the neighborhood to rear her three children.
It was on the 10 February 1940 that she seemed to have gone to her well earned rest, for her lifeless body lay
on a stretcher, in the far end of a large room, while tallow candles cast a restful glow upon a group of women
who surrounded a table and was busily engaged in fashioning white material, with which to clothe her lifeless
form for its last sleep.
A sorrowful husband was also present, his only occupation during the lonely night was to keep alive the fire
that glowed upon the hearth. In the midst of this stillness, a familiar voice called out, “John, John, raise me up”.
To the astonishment of all present, it was Jane speaking. Rushing to where she lay, John raised her up and
she said, “O, don’t be afraid, I have only come back to stay for a short time and to rectify my mistake, as I had
promised a certain woman that I was willing that she should rear my little ones, but I now want my husband to
rear two of them, for I am going to take one of them with me”.
She then bore a strong Testimony of the Latter Day Work, that Angelic spirits had declared to her, that Joseph
Smith is the great Prophet raised up to open up this last Dispensation, and she continued to bear this
testimony until her last breath.
Martha Jane had lain in a trance for twenty-four hours, and she was permitted to come back to bear her
Testimony. At the end of four hours 8:00 AM, it being the very hour that she went into the trance, her spirit
took its flight. The women then resumed their sewing and preparations for the funeral was carried out.
Some neighbors stayed at home with the children during the funeral and burial of their mother. Thomas played
about in the usual way, until shortly before the return of his Father, the child died, not from any sickness
perceivable, and he was laid to rest by the side of his Mother.
This incident is recorded in Grandmother’s Diary, Page 32 and was rewritten by Rachel Boice Olson, 4 Oct
1935 at Castle Gate, Utah.
Mary Ann Barzee was Rachel Boice Olson’s Grandmother. She was the 2nd wife of John Boice your great
great Grandfather.
This was John E. Boice’s grandmother, Martha Jane Herns Boice.
| John Boice - Martha Jane Hearns' husband |