Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-10-16
ALnsr orronrUNITY.

A news tam appeared Che other day
Ga tb. lbicop5 Record Herald. stating
that Mrs. Anna Davies had been semi
10 4, deaconcss hospital as % 'h"'''y
patient and chat the papers had been
SIGNED for her transfer to the soldiers
Widows Home at wilmington. Mrs.
Davies is now 90 years old. DOB destitute
circumstances. She is "a daughter OF
Thomas Ford. Governor OF Illinois ''
the time OF the mortyrdom of ihe
Prophet Joseph and his brother inc
Patriarch. Tho badly, the dispatch
states is without friends or relatives.
ancept for "a daughter of mcagte cir
cumstances living in Chicago.
The correspondent of the Record
HERALD gives some Biographical data
relating to tine Fords Gov Ford was
REGARDED ss one of the great men of
his time in Illinois who retained the rec
spect or everybody until his death.
yet. ne died iu "ludigent chcum-
stances He was q lawyer in name
in Peoria when be- died Ills knowledge
of law was ssid To- bc unusual but ne
was unable 20 get much law business
ana spent most OF his time writing his
history OF the state.
he was. at one time. appointed state
prosecutor by Governor Edwards ana
rcappoiuted TWO years later by cover
nor Reynolds Then hc was made cir
cult nudge and elected 20 the supreme
bench of the state in $40, from which
NnnuunFTNflD
candidate for governor In 1872. when
hc was elected A number OF Import
ant questions. the biographer says.
arose during his administration. He
drove the Mormons from the state had
the Inlnois- Michigan canal completed,
established sound financial basis for
the state and made the Illinois troops
an important factor In the Mexican
war. But Notwithstanding all he died
OF a broken heart. his wife having
crossed the great divide three weeks
before.
Mrs Davies IL the last survivor on the
nvo children of Governor Ford. She
met the man who became her husband.
while her father was governor win
him she moved to Rushville, H.. where
he edited paper for many years.
The sod story inevitably reminds one
of the agitation that eliminated in the
terrible tragedy OF Carthage Cover
nor Ford had an opportunity Of main
tanning the law against mobs. which
ne neglected. or which he failed 20 per-
ceive lie might have earned for him
self a prominent place Ina American
history. But he hesitated between duty
ana clamor between the voice OF con-
science and the demands OF mobs, UNI
IN lawlessness prevailed and the soil
of the state was stained with the blood
OF the martyrs he had pledged his hon
or 20 protect.
The trouble with Gov. Ford ne with
o. many after him, was that he per-
mitted apostatcs and professional anti
'Mormons" TO nl his ears with false
reports about the "Mormons' and their
leaders. without investigation. DE ace
ceptca as true many Of The stories OF
the enemies, not taking intp account
their selfish motives on their lawless
acts. though the evidence Invariably
pointed % the true character of the
prosecutors AID the goal Of their ann
hition. II he had been strong man,
determined 20 defend the rights Of
American citizens he would have pre-
vented the martyrdom ana the cXpul-
sion The history Of Illinois, perhaps
OF the Republic would have been ar
fcrcnt in many particulars. But by
vaclllation ne lost q grand opportunity.