Ann Elizabeth Hodgkinson Wamsley Palmer

Ann Elizabeth Hodgkinson Wamsley Palmer was a member of the congregation of Reverend Fielding in England.  He had received the Elders graciously and allowed them to preach in his chapel, but when he perceived that he was about to lose some of his members he became very antagonistic and bitter in his feelings.  He raged and fumed and forbade the Elders to baptize any of this flock.  Brother Kimball smiled and said, "They are of age and may do as they please."  After eight days missionary labor in Preston, there were nine candidates for baptism.

Elder Heber C. Kimball entered into the home of Thomas Wamsley and found his wife, Ann Elizabeth (she had not married Isaac Palmer yet) very sick with consumption.  Physicians had given up all hope for the continuation of her life for any length of time.  Elder Kimball preached the Gospel to them and promised Sister Wamsley in the name of the Lord if she would believe, repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of her sins, she would be restored to health and strength.

After laboring in Preston for a period slightly more that week, the candidates for baptism were throughly converted and enthusiastic over the baptisms which were to be performed the morning of July 30th.  It was to be an open-air baptism in the River Ribble which runs through Preston.  This was an uncommon affair which attracted a lot of curiosity and great interest as few baptisms were performed by immersion and not performed publicly.

On this morning between 7 and 9 thousand people gathered to witness the ceremony.  Elder Kimball performed the baptisms.  Earlier that morning he had passed through a terrific ordeal.  A legion of evil spirits besieged him and others.  Satan seemed to realize that the work of the Lord was about to open up and that precious souls were to be saved.  These evil spirits gnashed their teeth and raged, and it was only through the power of God that they were finally banished, but it left Elder Kimball weak and almost exhausted.  He stood in the water and so eager were the candidates it is said, that two men a few rods away actually raced to the water's edge.  The younger one, Watt, being fleeter of foot, won and became the first one baptized to the Church in Europe.

Anne Elizabeth Hodgkinson Wamsley was carried into the water and became the first woman to receive baptism in England.  She was partially healed at this time.  Sh was carried into the water, but walked out unaided.  Shortly afterwards at her confirmation, the Elder rebuked the disease in the name of the Lorad and promised she would be healed completely.