Edward James Tree was born October 17,1831. Edward and Emma Worsley were married June 11, 1854 and were the parents of 6 girls and two boys. They were both born in England and members of the Church of England. Edward William Tree was their second child.
Emma Worsley, was born June 30, 1827, and died Dec. 22, 1877 at the age of 50. Her husband (Edward James Tree) always prepared and took a cup of tea to her each morning before she got out of bed. One morning, he took her tea, but she had passed away without his knowing she was ill. At the time of her death, their youngest child, Martha Amelia, was 7 years old.
In 1884, Edward James Tree migrated to America, with his two youngest children, Hannah, 18, and Martha, 14. His youngest son Fredrick and half brother John Robert were already living in Utah. Three other daughters were living in England when Edward James died. He never saw them after he left England and none of them joined the LDS church. Letters passed between the family members in England and USA for more than 60 years.
There was a company of Latter-day Saints on the ship with Edward James Tree, including a brother Wright from Ogden in charge of the company. Brother Wright talked with Edward a great deal, explaining the principles of the LDS gospel to him. When they parted in Ogden, Brother Wright took him by the hand saying, "Now I must leave you in the hands of the Lord." About a year after Edward James Tree arrived in Utah, he was herding sheep on the surrounding mountains. He had taken a copy of the Deseret News along, in which there was an address by Charles W. Penrose on pre-existence and other principles of the Mormon faith. Edward said, "This struck me very forcible, I knew it was the truth." Soon after, in 1884, Edward joined the LDS church. The LDS baptisms of his daughters took place in Utah; Hannah in 1885 (she discontinued her membership at a later date), and Martha in 1907. His son Fredrick and brother John had already joined the LDS church. That was the reason they had moved to Utah. John Robert Tree (the fIrst to join) was baptized in 1863 and Fredrick Tree in 1883.
Edward James Tree fIrst lived in Centerville, Davis County. Most of the time thereafter, he lived close by or with a son, Edward William Tree.
He never went to school, but was self-educated and recognized for his ability to spell. He was a heavy drinker, and would usually get to a saloon when he earned a little money, staying away several days at a time. He would bring a bottle or two home to sober up on, often hiding them in the sagebrush along the road. Julia Holland Tree and young children were very frightened of him when he had been drinking, though he never did them any harm. He did bring them candy and gifts. When she was a small child, Amelia Tree called him "candy". Her brothers and sisters told her that she would say, "here comes candy." Mother would send one of the children to hunt for the full hidden whiskey flasks and either destroy the contents or hide it another place so he couldn't fmd it. He thought a lot of this mother and her children and they loved him when he was sober. One of the happiest events of the children" lives was when "grandfather" had stopped drinking. When he
quit, he never touched it again.
He often brought fIsh home, sometimes large ones over his shoulder and Ellen Tree says, "sometimes in his boot." He loved fIsh. These were bought not caught. While sobering up, he ate everything with vinegar, even mush. He lived to be 92 years old, was tall, straight, strong and vigorous.
He would often walk miles rather than ride. After joining the church, he was ever ready to work and hold offices in the same.
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