History

of
THOMAS DUCE
24 July, 2009
Complied from writings and historical facts as noted herein by Frank Lynn Duce, great
grandson of Thomas Duce
Thomas Duce was born May 26, 1846 at Derby, Derbyshire, England1. He was the son and fifth
child of Henry and Esther Higginson Duce. Thomas joined the LDS Church in England and was
baptized by his father Henry on November 28, 1860. He came to the United States on the John J.
Boyd which left Liverpool, England on April 23, 1862 and arrived in New York harbor on June 1,
1862. Coming with Thomas was his father Henry, mother Esther, and sisters Elizabeth and Alice.
Prior to this sailing to the United States some background information is provided to give the reader
some insight regarding the events leading up to this voyage.
Henry Duce, Thomass father, was born on June 22, 1808 in Buxton, Derbyshire, England2. He
married Esther Higginson on October 19, 1834 in the Parish Church of England in Manchester,
Lancashire, England3. Henry and Esther were christened members of the Church of England but
upon listening to the Elders they gained testimonies and were baptized into the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints in Derby, Derbyshire, England; Henry on December 7, 18484 and his
wife Esther on December 18, 18484. Henry immigrated to the United States in 18535, leaving his
family in England (see Appendix A for the passenger list and other sailing information). After
settling in Ogden, Henry married a second wife Esther Broadhurst Matkin, a widow who had a son
age 2 who is listed on the same sailing manifest as Henry. Henry married a third wife Elizabeth
Whittle (no children from either of these marriages).
The 1860 census of Ogden shows the following:
June 30, 1860: Henry Duce, age 50, a farmer, value of his real estate $600,
personal property value $130, living with him was Elizabeth Whittle Duce age 49,
Esther Matkin Duce age 35, Samuel Matkin age 10. On July 10 another survey
picks up Esther Matkin Duce age 35 at another home with Samuel age 10. Value
of real estate $200, value of personal property $505.
In 1860 Henry was called on a mission back to England where he made amends with Esther. When
Henrys mission was complete, Henry and Esther decided to immigrate to America together. They
began their preparation early in the year 1862. They made arrangements to sail on the John J.
Boyd leaving in April. That paper work shows Henry Duce age 52, occupation Farmer living at 77
Park Street Derby. This address however is the residence of the Nelsons. Included in the manifest
is Esther age 47 wife, Eliza 19 spinster, Thomas 16, Alice 9 (see Appendix B). The family leaves
for Liverpool, England by train and arrives at this port city about April 15, 1862. They are provided

housing in the buildings owned by the church. They boarded the ship on the 18th of April and assist
in getting ready for the trip. Since this ship has been chartered by the church, the passengers are all
members. On board the John J. Boyd were 557 adults, 113 children and 31 infants, a total of 701
all of which, according to the President of the sailing company James S. Brown, wish to proceed to
Florence Nebraska in view of being assisted through to Salt Lake City. On the afternoon of April
21st, President Amassa Lyman, Charles C. Rich and George Q. Cannon the Presidency of the
European Mission, visit the vessel as she lay in the river. They proceed to organize the company
appointing Elder James S. Brown President, Elders John Lindsay and Joseph C. Rich his
counselors. The brethren then proceeded to discuss with the Saints the journey which lay ahead.
A journey which would take some of their lives, but which will be a great blessing to all who
would take care of their duties and live so they would continue to enjoy the Holy Spirit. President
Brown then proceeded to organize the Saints into 9 wards and staff them accordingly. The Saints
provided their own cooks and kept their own housing quarters. On this trip 23 families were
assisted for services they were to render. Henry Duce received a credit of 18 pounds from the
emigration fund for his families fee. The total funds raised for the trip was 2433 pounds sterling
less those assisted in an amount of 208.9 or a total of 2224.16 pounds sterling. The ship arrived in
New York harbor on 1 June 18626.
On June 2, 1862 Henry and his family left New York by train, proceeded west via Niagara Falls and
the lakes to Detroit, then by way of Chicago, Quincy and Hannibal to St. Joseph, Missouri. From
that point the family went to Florence, Nebraska, by steamboat5. At Florence Joseph W. Young
took charge of the company. At this point there was some time to wait for the 700 plus saints would
have to be prepared and outfitted. The first company left the end of June and arrived in Salt Lake
City on September 23. The second company had to wait for Captain Horton D. Haights arrival
from Salt Lake City. Captain Haight had left Salt Lake City in late May with about 60 wagons. He
arrived in Florence in July.
During this preparation time for the most difficult part of their journey to Salt Lake City, something
happened to Henry and Esthers relationship. Tradition in the family tells us that Henry finally told
Esther of his families in Utah. This news probably broke Esthers heart. She must have heard of
the practice of polygamy among the Saints in Utah but she had not been that faithful in the past with
the practices of the church (she was cut off from the church in 18504 ) so to hear from Henry that
he had married and loved two other women may have been too much for her. So Esther refused to
proceed any further; staying with her were Elizabeth and Alice. Thomas believed in his fathers
faith and proceeded to Utah. Thomas who had gained a strong testimony of the gospel while his
father was in England was told if he left with his father to attend a meeting, he would not have a
place to stay that night. Thomas left and true to her word Esther had packed his belongings and set
them outside with a note not to return5. Henry and Thomas left in Horton Heights wagon train
company the first part of August 1862 with 60 wagons and about 650 saints; a very large company.
After about 65 days of travel Thomas and Henry arrived in Salt Lake City on October 19, 1862.
Thomas settled first in Ogden, Utah and when he was eighteen years of age he made two trips back
to Missouri driving five yoke of oxen, to assist immigrants from Missouri to Utah.
Thomas helped settle Ogden and worked as a farmer. He was a member of the first band. He played
a flute which was his favorite musical instruments. On February 8, 1869, he married Mary Ann

Hymas and the 1870 census records have them living in Hyde Park, Cache County, Utah with their
first child Henry (see Appendix C). He did not have a large amount of worldly goods, possessing
only a yoke of oxen and a wagon to start with. He erected a humble cabin for his first house. His
diligence and faithfulness were recognized by both the church and the business world. His ability
as a leader and his pioneer spirit helped to build the community of Hyde Park.
An unfortunate incident occurred in 1878 at the Ogden train station that affected Thomass physical
heath. A guard employed by Wells Fargo and Company dropped his double barreled shot gun. The
gun went off and discharged its slugs into Thomas and Esther (Broadhurst Duce). Thomas was
severely wounded by the accidental discharge with twelve balls entering his body and Esther was
struck in the throat by one ball. Thomas was so badly injured that the doctor attending him said it
was useless to bother with him, as he would not survive. However, his father would not give up and
called the elders of the church, who administered to him according to his father's request. Thomas
survived and his recovery was a demonstration of the miraculous. Charles W. Penrose represented
the Duces case in court and was able to get a settlement of $5,000 as compensation (see Appendix
D for a full account of this incident).
Charles W. Penrose was later selected by President Heber J. Grant as second counselor in the First
Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In 1910, they (the First Presidency)
presented a signed copy of the Book of Mormon to Thomas while he was in Canada. This copy of
the Book of Mormon is in the authors possession, being passed from father to son (Thomas to son
Willard, to son Franklin A. Duce, to son Frank Lynn Duce, and will be passed to my eldest son
Jensen Lee Duce).
As the result of this accident Thomas was greatly handicapped all of his life with both of his arms
and hands being crippled. He could not swing an axe or undertake the heavy work of a pioneer
farmer, but he had a true hero's spirit and he never gave up. This injury was the cause of his always
offering his left hand for the proffered hand shake.
For some six years he traveled back and forth from Hyde Park to Logan as a worker in the Logan
Temple and he was in the first Sunday School Superintendence in Hyde Park. He was called on a
full time mission to Great Britian, the Birmingham England Conference during October General
Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1879 but was not able to
complete his mission due to poor health most likely due to his injuries sustained in 1878 (see
Appendix E for newspaper articles). He was released from his mission in January 1880. He was set
apart as a Stake missionary on November 10, 1881 to labor in Hyde Park, Benson, Smithfield, and
Richmond Utah. He was the President of the High Priests group and in this capacity he traveled all
over Cache Valley.
In his business pursuits he became a salesman for the Co-Op Wagon and Machine Company selling
farm implements all over Cache Valley and operated a store in Hyde Park.
He married Mary Ann Hymas of Hyde Park on February 8, 1869 and had twelve children (the last
one was still born.

Front Row: LeRoy, Mary Ann Hymas Duce (wife), Thomas Duce (husband) and Lillian, Back row
- Frank Hyrum, Joseph Edgar, Annie Ethel, Thomas William, James Ernest, George Alfred

On November 18, 1880 he married a second wife, Mary Eliza England also of Hyde Park and they
had five children.

Left to Right Willard Duce, Mary Eliza England Duce (wife), Lucile Duce, John Alma Duce,
Daniel Leon Duce, Thomas Duce (husband) and Fred Duce

During this period of time the Church was faced with many political hardships for its practice of
polygamy. Thomas did not escape the long arm of the law and he served three months in the Utah
Penitentiary. He was sentenced on November 9, 1888, and was released January 25, 1889 and was
ordered to pay a $100.00 fine in addition to the prison sentence, which in those days would have
been a lot of money. While there he signed a guest book.

The above message was written by Thomas Duce on November 18th, 1888 to
Bishop John Jardine. Bishop Jardine was in prison at the same time as Thomas
Duce. The Jardine family has the original book in which many of the inmates
wrote a message to Bishop Jardine while in prison. The Jardine family passed this
page to Reed Hanceys brother whose mothers father is Fred Duce, a brother to
Willard Duce, son of Thomas Duce and Mary Eliza England Duce.
The note reads as follows with no change in spelling or punctuation:
Bishop John Jardine
Dear Brother in the Pen i was pleased to meet you wearing Stripes for Obeying
the Laws of God that you may continue faithfull to the end of your days and that i
may meet you again through my faithfulness in our Fathers Kingdom is the wish
of your fellow prisoner in Stripes.
Thomas Duce
Hyde Park Cache County Utah
In the year 1898 he was asked by the church to go to Canada and help colonize it. Once more
"Uncle Tom's" ability as a leader and organizer came as a blessing. He had been called "Uncle Tom'
by all his friends and neighbors all his life.

Thomas took his first wife Mary Ann and her family leaving Mary Eliza and her family in Hyde
Park to do the best they could. This was a hard decision and Thomas made many trips from Canada
to Hyde Park over the years to take care of both families. Thomas and Mary Ann traveled by team
and wagon to Canada and settled in Cardston, Alberta. After arriving in Cardston, he became a
member of the Sunday School Superintendency and was a counselor to Bishop Hamer of the
Cardston Ward. Later he was a member of the High Council. Soon after this he was appointed first
counselor to President C. C. Card of the Alberta Stake and in this capacity he served for three years.
Later he was appointed first counselor to President Wood of the Alberta Stake and served with him
for twenty two years, making twenty five years that he served in the Alberta Stake.

Cardston, Alberta, Canada, Stake Presidency

Left to Right
Thomas Duce, First Counselor
Edward J. Wood, President
S. Williams, Second Counselor
Upon his release from the Stake Presidency he traveled to Utah and spent time with family and
relatives there for three months (see Appendix F for letter written to his daughter Lucile).
He was closely associated with the building of the Cardston Temple and he held the plow that
turned the first furrow that started the building. He watched its building very closely and took
thousands of people through the temple before it was dedicated. As he showed them through, he
preached the gospel to them. He loved the gospel more than life. In 1922 his first wife died and his
second wife Eliza came to Canada to be with him. They were both called among some of the first

officiators to the temple after it was dedicated. To enter Canada Thomas and Eliza had to be
officially married again as noted on the marriage certificate below.

Thomas was a member of the Cardston town council for eight years and was on the council when
the town was incorporated. He was president of the Board of Trade for three years and chairman of
the school board for six years and was a stockholder of the Cardston first newspaper.
When he was eighty years of age, the Alberta Stake honored him, as well as the temple workers,
and his family. He retired from most of his responsibilities in 1925 and in 1926 he went to Cache
Valley, where he died on December 30, 1926 at Logan, Utah and he was interred in the Cardston
cemetery near the beloved Alberta Temple next to his wife Mary Ann. His second wife Mary Eliza
died in Hyde Park and is buried there.
See Appendix G for additional family photographs and Appendix H regarding a spiritual experience
Thomas had in the Logan temple and Appendix I for his Priesthood line of authority.

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Thomas Duce and Mary Ann Hymas Duce headstone in Cardston, Alberta, Canada, cemetery

Mary Eliza England Duce headstone in Hyde Park, Utah cemetery

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Information found in this history is from the following sources:

1

State of Utah Department of Social Services, Division of Health, Vital Statistics, death certificate

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Family History Library, British Film 1041912,
item 8, Buxton, St. Johns parish record
3

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Family History Library, British Film 0438197,
page 823, item 2469
4

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Family History Library, British Film 86994,
Derby, Derbyshire Conference records
The Hymas Family Heritage, July 1972 Issue/Volume 12
http://www.hymas-family.org/heritage/Issue12.html
5

The Life Story of Henry Duce

Researched and written by Richard F. Duce, a great - great grandson, 1985

6

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Family History Library, British Film 25691,
immigration records
The Life History of Elder Thomas Duce written by his daughter Lucile Duce Hillyard, of Richmond
Utah (see Appendix J)

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