- Ann Fall mother was a teacher and kept a school for the young girls of the community. Besides the usual subjects of reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic, she taught them to sew. Ann also learned to think, whether from her parents or from her own native instincts. A picture of Ann in the prime of her life shows her as a tall, beautiful figure with an intelligent face and dark eyes. She was always referred to as a "a very religious person." Her life reveals her as a loyal, gentle wife, and mother. A poem she wrote reveals a tender heart. She must have had a strong body to survive the hardhips and persecutions of her life. She lived to be seventy-six years of age.
Ann Fall's nephew, George, tells a little incident in his letter about Ann which indicates her religious character and her determination to do what she believed was right. A certain Scottsman by the name of McDonald, came to the Island and started a new church, The members being known as McDonaldites. History says he carried a yellow cane and on Sundays stood at the fork of the road and waved all church goers to his church. Ann joined this cult and wore the long black veil which was prescribed for the women of the congregation. But when McDonald had a change of heart, and forbade the wearing of black veils, Ann insisted on using the veil. Two deacons were instructed to put her out of the church, but as her nephew tells the story, "They never put a hand on her, for she walked out and never returned."
Ann Falls' life had been one of hardship and deprivation from the time she joined the church and now the greatest sadness of her life had come to her in losing her husband and not even having the privilege of having her dear husband's body brought home for burial. Though Ann was a sturdy and capable woman she and her children keenly felt the loss of husband and father.
Ann was a prayerful woman and she relied on her Heavenly Father for comfort and help, and taught her children as she and her husband had always done to seek the Lord first in all they did. Together they gathered their small crop in the fall of 1858. They gathered wood from the canyon to keep them warm. It was a very gloomy winter that faced them in 1858-59. Food was scarce and Ann suffered and often deprived herself to give a little more to her younger children.
Ann became desperate. She had no food, no flour or wheat. It was hard for her to ask someone to help her, but she finally knew she must ask her Bishop for help. She walked from Alpine to American Fork. She told the Bishop of her need for flour. The Bishop told her she should get married, but her reply was, "who would want to marry a woman with 5 children?" Some of her eight children were grown and married by then. The Bishop told her there was a well to do immigrant from London, England that he would take her to see, that he had a year's supply of food stored away.
She was taken by the Bishop to see Andrew Hodnett and immediately they recognized their need for each other and seemed to have a mutual appeal. The very next day they went to Salt Lake City to be married and were married in the endowment House, 17 May 1862. Andrew Hodnett brought money with him from England. He was a good provider and she probably had more financial security than she had known in her previous life. (She lived in Alpine at least 9 years.)
Ann Fall and her family that was not married moved with Andrew Hodnett to Orderville and joined the United Order. They turned all their sheep into the order. When the United Order broke up they were given back their sheep and they had enough to buy a little farm south of Orderville at Tom's Rock, near Mt. Carmel. They seem to have been fairly prosperous for the time and location. Andrew Hodnett had Ann's children walk through the fields with sticks after he plowed to break up the clods. They worked in the fields and herded his sheep. This was not unusual for those days as women were accustomed to work in the fields along with the men. It was necessary to make a living.
Hodnett was a hot tempered man, tight fisted, a hard worker and expected others to do the same. Ann Fall was a mild tempered, kindly woman, with great faith in her Heavenly Father. She spoke kind to her children and others. She always looked fresh and clean and dressed nice. She had dark hair and dark eyes and as she grew older was on the fleshy side.. She raised her family to be true followers of Christ. With a great love and appreciation of the gospel. She had great faith and was loyal and true to her church, her leaders and her Heavenly Father. In the biography of her youngest child Jane, she states that whenever she was frightened of the Indians, her Mother would tell her that God would protect her.
Andrew Hodnett gave all her children some sheep, which shows his love and respect for her family. In the later years of Ann Falls her health failed and she was not able to take care of herself. She was taken back to Alpine to the home of her youngest child. Here Jane, who was such a kind and loving individual tenderly cared for her mother.
Ann's eyes grew dim, yet they glowed with the love she had for her loved ones and the gospel. Tho feeble she still expressed her appreciation for the gospel and what others did for her. Her willing feet that had traveled far never failed in a step that was right. The autumn of her life had passed and as softly as the snow flakes fall Ann's beautiful spirit left her tired old body on Christmas Day, 25 Dec., 1888. Her husband and father of her children, Thomas Freestone, stood there waiting for her and together they walked into the beyond to find the place which God for them prepared.THE BEYOND
It seemeth such a little way to me
Across to that strange country, The Beyond;
And yet, not strange, for it has grown to be
The home of those of whom I am so fond.
Ann died at the age of 76. The death record says of "Acute indigestion".
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1812 - 1888 (76 år)
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