Martha Ann Thomas was born January 11, 1857, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She must have been a special spirit sent to do a great work, for although she was deaf most of her life, she raised a wonderful family—nine of hers and three who children of her husband by his second wife, who had died.
Martha’s father was John Pledger Thomas and her mother was Mahala Matthews. Her childhood was hard, for her family was very poor and had to work very hard. However, they were blessed with a great love for one another and with a strong testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel, and they reared their children with a love for the Gospel, too.
When Martha was very young, about 6 or 7 years old, something struck her which could have been a tragedy, but which only made Martha work harder. She was very ill with scarlet fever, and one morning after the crisis had passed and the fever had finally broken, she awoke to find the family kneeling around her in family prayer. When they finished, her mother came to her side and spoke to her, and Martha answered saying, "Don’t talk so quiet like that. I cannot hear what you are saying." The family was startled, realizing that the disease had left Martha deaf. For several years, time passed slowly and Martha grew sad. She was a courageous person, and she had an exceptional memory. Though she was never able to get much formal schooling, she remembered well that which she did learn, and she put it to good use. She studied the scriptures diligently and eventually she became unequalled in the reading of lips. So perfect was she at this that one could not talk of anything in her presence that she did not read every word of it. At times it almost seemed that she could read one’s lips even when the back was turned to her. Yet she lived always in a world of silence!
She was a popular young woman, for she was a beautiful girl and a wonderful dancer. She kept perfect time with the music whether it was fast or slow. She was able to feel the rhythm, either from the air, or from the dance floor, though she could not hear the lilting melodies.
On December 19, 1877, at the age of 20 years, Martha became the third wife of George W. Sevey—his second polygamous wife. George was a strong man, large in stature, handsome and somewhat older than Martha. He was a fine man who believed the Gospel implicitly and was faithful to his God and to the counsel that the servants of the Lord gave. So, when he was counseled to go to Mexico to escape persecution for his polygamous marriages, he took two of his wives and moved there to help [with the colonization efforts]. Martha, with her three children, went first in 1885 when George went, and his second wife, "Aunt Maggie" followed later. Phoebe, his first wife, never did go to Mexico.
Martha and George were among the first group to enter what later became Colonia Juarez. It was at great sacrifice that these people moved to Mexico and they suffered many hardships for a few years. They lived in dugouts until they could build homes. Finally they built their houses, planted orchards, gardens and flowers, and were feeling happy. Then word came that the colony had settled on the wrong lad. The [had to] move again and when the learned their true plot [of land] was in a canyon, which was rocky and full of brush, they were discouraged. Sorrowfully, but with determination, they made the move and set to work building irrigation ditches and rebuilding, replanting and resettling. When they began to see the results of their hard labor and toil they realized [their relocation] was probably for the best in the end.
George was made Bishop of the Church in Colonia Juarez and he served the Lord and his people long and well. He built a home in the center of town where Martha lived with her growing family. It was a small place at first. But later he was able to build a lovely large home where he could entertain people who came into town for conferences. He also had a nice farm where "Aunt Maggie" lived with her children.
Martha was a wonderful cook. Often, from what seemed like nothing, she would come up with a good, satisfying meal for her family. Many times at these conferences of the Church, anywhere from 30 to 40 people would eat and sleep at her home. Beds and pallets were put anyplace there was room for even a child to lie down. Sometimes the bedding situation was rather stretched and oft times Martha would put straw on the floor under a rug and cover the child, or children, who lay on it with one of her long, full dresses to serve as a blanket.
A very busy woman, Martha never once felt that too much was asked of her. She enjoyed very much helping the new settlers in every way she could. Her babies never suffered from neglect at any time, for despite her deafness, she could always seem to sense when they started to fuss and their wants were immediately attended to.
One time, not too long after they [arrived] in Mexico, flour was a very scarce item and they used mostly cornmeal. George made a trip into El Paso, Texas and brought a sack of flour with him. Martha quickly put a gallon of it away in her trunk, as she was hoping to have something special for Thanksgiving. Later, a lady who was ill and needed some flour traded Martha a pan of flour for a pan of dried apples, which Martha also put away [in the trunk] with the flour. So, on Thanksgiving Day, when the family came in and they had a feast with white bread and apple pie for their special Thanksgiving dinner. When Martha told him, he caught her to him and danced her around the table, with everyone laughing and joining in the fun.
When "Aunt Maggie" became very ill with cancer, George took her to Utah to be operated on, but it was an even sadder trip for George, for Maggie died on the way. George took her to Panguitch and buried her there with his people.
Martha then moved out to the farm to take over [its operation] along with the mothering of Maggie’s children, the oldest one of which was soon married, so she had only three of them. But to Martha, they were as her own children, for they belonged to her husband and she loved them with the same love she showered on her own brood, and there never was any differentiation in her treatment of the children.
When George passed away June 22, 1902, Martha was left alone with her family, but the Lord blessed her with much patience, love and endurance. She did many things to keep her family together and raise them in the love of the Gospel, until one by one, they married and left her for families of their own.
When the Mexican rebels began bothering the Saints in the colonies, they were counseled to leave. Martha stayed away for only a short time [and then returned] to her "home." Martha loved her adopted homeland and she and George had taught their children to love and respect it, for it was the place they turned for peace and harmony when they were being hounded for their beliefs. Martha was active and attended to her Church duties to the end. She had two very dear friends with whom she often visited. It was probably the last time she went to El Paso, Texas to visit with friends there that she took with her some dried fruit for a special friend. At the International Line the officers took the box and said she couldn’t take it across. But Martha took it back, held it firmly in her arms and told them it was for a old lady friend and she was going to take it to her! They smiled and let her pass with it.
Although Martha had diabetes, she did not suffer from it for long. She died on April 28, 1920 at Matt’s home in Colonia Juarez, just four days after the birth of Matt’s first son. She was buried there [in Colonia Juarez] beside her husband.