Charles Turner and Anna Mary Bosch

Anna Mary Bosch

Anna Mary Bosch is my great-great grandmother, born July 8, 1847, in Netherlands, Holland. The story of her conversion is best told through the history of her parents, Abraham Bosch and Anna Hak.

When Anna Mary's father Abraham was a young child, the French and Spanish invaded Holland. During this invasion, Abraham was found hidden in the bushes. He was found by a man names Houseman, who supposed that his parents had been taken prisoners. Houseman and his friends made an extensive search for his parents without success, and so he placed him in an orphanage for a short time and eventually their relationship grew into one of father and son.

Abraham and Mr. Houseman studied the bible together, and each had a burning desire to know the truth and attended many of the churches to try and get an understanding of the doctrines taught at each one. None of the churches appealed to them or to their friends who had the same opinion. As a result they formed an organization called the New Lighters where they taught the members to study the bible and be prayerful. They had a feeling the new gospel would be restored and were preparing for it.

In 1844, Abraham married Anna Hak in Holland in 1844. Her family was very opposed to their marriage and disowned her. Through the marriage she joined the New Lighters looking for the restored church.

In 1864, three elders came to Amsterdam. A Mr. Hystack owned a boat and carried cargo from one city to another. He heard the Gospel through Elders John S. Smith, Schutter, and Vanderwood. It was through Mr. Hystack that Anna and her family met the missionaries. Abraham suffered with health problems for most of his life and had died just a few years before his family first heard of the restored gospel. Anna met with the missionaries and was baptized, as well as the entire organization of New Lighters. These were the first Mormon emigrants to leave Holland for America.

With the death of her husband as well as three of her sons, Anna mourned her loss and had a burning desire to come with the rest of the converts to Zion. This was made possible through the kindness of Mr. Houseman, and they left for Zion on May 10, 1864. This was a journey of great sacrifice, almost beyond endurance for Anna and her five children. Anna Mary Bosch was one of these five children.

The family settled in Utah in the Weber Valley where many Dutch immigrants were moving. In this area there were many elderly members and Anna who was 18 was sent with others to care for them. On July 24th there was a large celebration the chairman of the committee in charge being Charles Turner, the current presiding elder. Anna was attractive with her dark brown hair and blue eyes. Charles, a widower twenty years older than Anna became and admirer and suitor and they were married after a short courtship.

They had 13 children and lived a happy life together in Utah. Anna was very devoted to her children and husband and to the gospel she embraced. She went through many hardships, knew poverty and also comfort. She entertained most of the Presidents of the Church at her home as well as the Apostles and other church officials. She was knows to be an amazing cook. I am full of gratitude to Anna Hak and Anna Mary Bosch for the gospel we have in our home today.

Charles Turner

Charles Turner is my great-great grandfather, born in 1827 in England. When he was in his early twenties, he had a job making drain pipe. Charles first heard about the Church in 1849 from one of the boys who worked for him in his job making drain pipe. Here is an excerpt from Charles' journal of his experience:

"Toward spring one of the boys who was working for me began to tell a strange tale about an old Parker who used to travel and peddle stockings through this village. This family had dealt with him for many years and the boy said he came last night to 'bid our folks goodbye, as he never expected again to return as he was going to Zion, in America.' He said that God had raised up a prophet, and the true gospel was being preached and that those who obeyed were called 'Latter-day Saints.' The boy said he backs up everything he says from the Bible and he makes it very plain. This was something new to us all, but was passed off again, and I never forgot the impression on my mind by the boy's story."

Here is an excerpt from 1850:

"During the summer I became dissatisfied with what was called religion and I withdrew myself from the Church of England. I concluded there was nothing in any of them but that my motto should be to do right by everybody and risk the consequences, but on hearing our brickmaker man, a Latter-day Saint, talk in a gathering of brickmakers, he set me thinking seriously. I already had a desire to know more about this strange people, and one more little talk with this strange man let me see that he outstripped any man I ever heard talk before.

One Sunday in December, Mr. Samuel Garret proposed to me that we go to Lemington and hear the Saints, to which we heartily responded. After listening a few seconds, the Lord showed me the beauty of the gospel and I believed. We also attended the evening meeting and in this meeting my mind was to learn more about it, and after a little due consideration, to be baptized."

Charles was baptized by Thomas Walder and was confirmed by Thomas A. Jeffery on April 27, 1851. Shortly thereafter he was ordained a Priest. Charles met opposition as those around him were bitter against him, including his father. He baptized his brother in 1853. He basically had to start a new life with new friends as he lost all his friends when he was baptized.

In 1861 he left with a number of saints to travel to Zion. First by train, then steamboat, then by wagon to Salt Lake. The entire trip took about five months. He married later in the year, but his wife died in 1865. He married Anna Mary Bosch later that year.