Her parents are Joseph Godfrey born in England in 1800 and Ann Eliza Reeves born in New Jersey in 1818.

For Joseph, conditions at home were not favorable, so at the age of 9, he ran away from home and hid in a whaling ship. He was discovered later while at sea, but remained with the ship for years and went all over the world. He was a merchant sailor. Joseph and a friend were forced off the ship in New York harbor after the captain became sick and others took over the ship. They went to Canada for a period of time. In 1841 they moved to New York.

For Ann Eliza, her father had passed away and times were hard for her family. Her mother hired some men to work for the family, they were Joseph and his friend. Joseph and Ann fell in love and were married in 1841 in New Jersey.

Joseph and Ann moved to New York where they met the missionaries and were converted and baptized in 1843. The family left to be with the Saints in Nauvoo sometime in 1845.

When the Saints were being driven from Nauvoo, they were among the last to leave. They finally arrived at Winter Quarters, they found that conditions were hard at that time, the cold and not having sufficient clothing or bedding, food was scarce and different diseases were around the area.

The family was blessed with their first daughter, Eliza Jane born in January 1847.
Eliza Jane had 2 older brothers that passed away in Winter Quarters the year before, James and Albert. She had 1 older brother that was still alive – William.

But little Eliza Jane, 5 months old, didn't live very long. She passed away from dysentery and is buried in the Mormon Pioneer Cemetery in Winter Quarters in Grave #169.

How sad for the parents to have been buried in a short time, 3 precious children.

The family stayed in Winter Quarters until 1852 when they joined the David Wood Company to journey to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah.