Christina Gibbs Gillies was born on May 8, 1853. Christina was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England. The residence still exists at 49 Brandling Place South, Jesmond.

She married David Levi in 1871. They had seven children, all boys. David Levi was born on May 16, 1833, to Frederick Levi II and Julia Ann Carrol. He was one of four children.

Christina Gillies Levi
Read by Leola Limb, May 13, 1976

Christina Gibbs Gillies was born May 8, 1853 at Newcastle upon Tyne. She was the daughter of Robert and Jane Sinclair Gillies. Her parents were natives of Edinburgh, Scotland where they joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The Gillies family crossed the Atlantic on the ship S. Curling in 1856 and started for Utah that year in the Hodgetts company, but they halted somewhere along the way. In 1857 they joined the Jesse B. Martin company in another effort to get to Utah. Between July 11 and July 17, they decided to stop traveling with this company and turn back. A child, John Moroni, died 17 Nov. 1857; but the rest of the family eventually made it to Utah by 1859 as they were enumerated in the 1860 July census at Beaver.

They were on their way to London where they were to set sail for America, when Jane gave birth to Christina. Her parents now had a family of five children so it was necessary for them to remain in England to earn more money to bring them to America. While in England, they assisted the LDS missionaries in their labors. The mother Jane, had a lovely voice which helped a great deal to the cause.

Christina's parents Robert and Jane arrived in Utah in 1856. They settled for the time in Bountiful where one of Jane's sisters lived. They moved soon after to Beaver where Robert and his brother Ebenezer, who were both cabinet makers went into business. This was a very useful trade as they made chairs, bedsteads, and other articles of furniture. Their workmanship was perfect and some of their chairs and chests are still prized by some of their descendants.

Christina married David Levi in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City in 1871. Seven boys were born to them, James, Robert, Fred, Karl, Marshall, Orson, and Clarence who died in childhood. Christina, who was called by many of her friends as "Aunt Tinny", was a faithful member of the church. She served in many capacities. while still a young mother. She lived West of Beaver on the Levi farm where she worked very hard performing many duties. She made butter and cheese to sell and assisted her boys in milking the cows. She also rode horses very well, which sometimes was her only means of travel to Beaver.

Later in life, her husband David build her a home in Beaver. She lived in this home until she passed away except for two years that she spent in Littlefield, Arizona with her son Orson. While there she suffered a stroke and was brought to her home in Beaver where she was confined to her bed for almost four years. With her body almost totally paralyzed, her mind remained clear and her spirits patient.

Aunt Tinny had an unusual talent for composing as well as reading poetry and she often entertained children as well as grown-ups with her talents. She also had a great sense of humor. She was an ardent reader and could quote many passages from the scriptures. She loved her religion and it's principles.

Another of her talents was her great love for flowers and her friends were the recipients of her beautiful roses and pansies. She also loved house plants which she had in great number in her home. Christina Gillies Levi died on February 10, 1924 at her home in Beaver, Utah, at the age of 72.