Elizabeth was the daughter and sixth child born to Johan Martin Heiner (b. 17 Mar 1818 - d. 11 Mar 1897) and Adelgunda Dietzel (b. 11 Jun 1815 - d. 24 Nov 1894). The Heiners had emigrated from Wasungen, Saxe-Meiningen, Germany to Baltimore, Maryland in 1845 bringing with them four children (Mary Christina b. 28 Jul 1839; Amelia b. 20 Feb 1841; John b. 2 Jul 1842; Anthony b. 24 Jun 1844). Martin did not find steady work in Baltimore, but found employment as a weaver near Waynesboro, Pennsylvania in 1846. The family established a home in Tomstown, just outside Waynesboro, where they were to live for the next 12 years. Seven more children were born after their emigration (George b. 26 Mar 1846 in Baltimore; Elizabeth b. 4 Apr 1848; Daniel b. 27 Nov 1850; Susannah Catherine b. 15 Oct 1852; Emma Ann b. 17 Aug 1856; Rachel b. 26 Sep 1858 and Eliza b. 22 Oct 1860 all in Tomstown).
The Heiners were converted to Mormonism by Jacob Secrist in Dec. 1852. Secrist - a Pennsylvania "Dutchman" was visiting his sister in Tomstown en route to his missionary service in Germany. The Heiners joined the Mormon trek to Utah arriving in 1859 as members of the Edward Stephenson Company.
Upon arrival Elizabeth and her brother George resided and worked in the home of Daniel H. Wells- the second counselor to President Brigham Young. Soon after arriving in Utah the family joined groups who were settling in the Morgan Valley. In 1863 they acquired land in North Morgan and built a two story stone house which still stands at the time of this writing.
At Christmas time in 1864 Elizabeth's brother George brought his friend Thomas Grover, Jr. (b. 17 Nov 1845) to spend the season with the Heiner family. Elizabeth and Thomas Grover were married 10 Feb 1865 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. After their marriage Thomas and Elizabeth purchased a farm in Morgan. Their first child, Thomas Martin Grover was born at Morgan 27 Nov 1866. Their second child, Evelyn Maria born 3 Sep 1868 was born in Farmington, Utah.
When Evelyn Maria was only a month old the family was called by Brigham Young to help colonize what came to be known as the Muddy Mission. In 1867 about 200 Mormon families, including Thomas Grover, David Sanders and John Heiner and their families, were called to establish communities along the Muddy River located just a few miles southwest of St. George. These agricultural missionaries were to produce molasses, figs and other farm products (see James B. Allen and Glen M. Leonard's The Story of the Latter-Day Saints. 1976. Desert Book Company, p. 323).
The Grovers sold their farm and home in Morgan and bought teams, a wagon and began their journey south. Traveling with them were David A. Sanders, Thomas' brother-in-law married to his sister Lucy and Elizabeth's older brother John Heiner. After an arduous journey, during which Elizabeth's brother John died and was buried in St George, they settled in what turned out to be Lincoln County, Nevada rather than Utah Territory. There they build an adobe house which they shared with the Sanders family. Their third child, a daughter they called Hannah, was born 26 Nov 1870. A history obtained from the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and probably written by Hannah Grover Hegsted (ELIZABETH HEINER copy made available through the courtesy of the National Society Daughters of the Utah Pioneers; near the bottom of page 2 is the statement: "A new daughter was born while they were in St Joseph 26th of Nov 1870. Elizabeth nearly lost her life at this time and had a serious attack of milk leg. The journey was commenced before she was able to walk...They returned to Morgan and lived there all winter [1870-1871]). There were serious jurisidctional and tax problems with the Territory of Nevada which resulted in the termination of the Muddy Mission. The Grovers were released from their mission calling in 1871 and returned to Utah, wintering in Morgan before moving to Nephi where Thomas' brother Joel was called to preside.
Their third daughter Adelgunda was born in Nephi on 7 Jun 1873. Hannah records "Elizabeth was again to go through many days of suffering before she was able to stand on her feet."
Quoting further from Hannah's history: "Thomas was a blacksmith here and served as town constable. He was then called to preside over the Mounds Branch of the Church located 4 miles north of Nephi. This was a stage coach station and a small community. Meetings were held in homes and this made for more work for Elizabeth. Thomas bought a farm and built a large adobe house on it, all with his own hands for he was a splendid workman. He raised grain and sugar cane on his land; ran the mill which made the cane into molasses and milked the cows. He hauled freight to Pioche, Nevada and brought back silver bullion to the U.C.R.R. terminals at York, about twelve miles from Nephi. Here Elizabeth did real pioneer woman's work; she softened the water for washing with wood ashes, made starch from potatoes, gathered rabbit brush, logwood and other dye materials for their clothes. She was an expert needlewoman and made her childrens' clothes trimming it with her own embroidery, crochet and knitted laces. She knitted her stockings and taught her daughters the art of homemaking."
Two further children were born to the Grovers in Nephi, Daniel Wells on 8 Apr 1876 and Pauline Elizabeth 25 Nov 1878. Pauline was fragile, said to have black eyes and curly black hair. She died 10 Aug 1880. The DUP history further records: "In 1877 Elizabeth was asked to accept the principle of plural marriage and share her husband with another woman. Louisa Ann Picton was the new wife. Elizabeth knew the principle was right and lived it loyally and with justice. They lived together on one house for three years. In the fall of 1880 Thomas went to Colorado with the Grover, McCune and Reed Company as a railroad foreman. Elizabeth with her children remained in Morgan where Elizabeth did sewing for her husband's sister Eliza Ann Parker (Eliza Ann was the sixth child born to Thomas Grover and Caroline Whiting, b. 13 Mar 1839 at Kirtland. She was married to Wyman Minard Parker who was arranging to move to Idaho as a colonizer. She took her widowed sister Susannah Heiner Ovard into her home - Susannah was about to have her third child. Elizabeth cared for her own family of five and helped her own mother care for the seven children of her sister Mary (in the Heiner family genealogy we find that Mary Christina Heiner was born 28 July 1839 in Germany, married Arza Erastus Hinckley 10 Mar 1861 and died 11 Oct 1879) who had passed away at Cove Fort and had been buried in St George."
They had interest in a large cattle ranch with the Heiners in Echo Canyon where they took their cattle. During a very severe winter day they lost many of their cattle and this was such a blow to them financially that they did not recover for many years. Elizabeth and all the children except Hannah went to the ranch to live through the summer. Here everyone had to work. The women made butter which was shipped to Salt Lake to sell.
Little Pauline was taken seriously ill and passed away 10 Aug 1880. Before leaving for Colorado Thomas bought their old home in Morgan and moved his family into it.
The Heiner family members were all musically inclined. Martin, the father, played the zither and taught his children the rudiments of music. George became a fine teacher of music in the little community. Elizabeth had a beautiful voice and was always willing to entertain others with it. She was a faithful member of the ward choir. She was a Relief Society teacher, she helped to decorate the meeting house for the memorial services for the assasinated President Garfield.
She gave birth to another son, Freeman Tupper, 6 Aug 1882 but passed away six hours later. Freeman Tupper Grover passed away 21 Aug 1882. Elizabeth was buried in the family plot in the North Morgan Cemetery. Her husband Thomas Grover was laid beside her 24 May 1931. Elizabeth was a faithful woman and laid a good foundation for her numerous posterity. She was of medium height, had a queenly figure, was mild and gentle. She had dark eyes and brown hair.
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