On August 3, 2008, Clayt (CCW) interviewed me (CRW) regarding our ancestors, the Ballif's. The video is above and here is the transcript of that interview:

Please start towards to bottom of the first page. This is the portion of the above video in which CRW discusses Serge Ballif's conversion, his rejection from the community in Switzerland, and his journey to Utah for the Gospel:

Elise Marie LeCoultre Ballif

Ainsi font, font, font
Les petites marionettes
Ainsi font, font, font
Trois p’tits tours et puis s’en vont

This French folk song came down to me from my great grandmother Elise Marie to her daughter Rachel Elizabeth to my mother Florence.  I sang it with my grandmother and my mother.  I taught it to my children, and we then sang it as one of our family’s favorites, using the same hand motions which came down to us through the years.

Born into a wealthy, upper class family in Lausanne, Switzerland on November 24, 1824, Elise Marie lived a life of service; first as a governess to the family of a Baron who lived in Nimirov (near Odessa, Russia). For a highly cultured, refined woman from a prominent family in Switzerland, this kind of appointment was not uncommon.  Elise taught the Baron’s and Baroness’ children languages and other classical subjects.  

She and her future husband, Serge Louis Ballif, were in Nimirov at the same time  and it was there that they married each other on April 27, 1849.  Following their marriage they returned to their hometown, Laussane where they owned considerable property consisting of two homes and also large vineyards and a home in Perroy, Switzerland.  

Elise Marie has been described by those who knew her as a beautiful, high-spirited, impulsive woman; also, as one who was very devoted to her husband.

Her first child, Louisa, was born in Laussane on February 25, l850, just 9 months after her marriage to Serge.  When she was ready to give birth to Louisa, the married couple hired a governess named  Henriette Jeanette Vuffray who was 18 years old at the time.  A second daughter was born to this couple on January 6, 1852 and was named Marie Jeanne.  Later this year Serge was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (on June 9, l852) which event brought major changes to the lives of Elise Marie and Serge.  Elise Marie was baptized a member of that Church on September 20, 1852.

So, within a period of 3 years Elise Marie became a wife, a mother of two girls and a member of a new Church;  and, in less than two years thereafter,  Elise Marie, Serge, Louisa, Marie Jeanne, a new baby girl (Helene) and Henriette were on their way to “Zion”.  Elise Marie experienced a marriage, having three babies, a husband spending 6 months in the Chillon prison, being banished from their home town, a husband serving as a missionary for this new Church in Switzerland, the loss of much of their property and possibly all of their friends, the death of their small child at sea, a very rigorous 8 months traveling from Switzerland to the Great Salt Lake Valley……..what a huge load for Elise Marie to bear.  And there were many more challenges to come to this highly cultured, refined young woman in the form of being a mother of 6 more children, a pioneer living in a frontier village, accepting a sister-wife as Serge married Henriette.  Once this family arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley, they tried to make a living in Cottonwood on a farm which wouldn’t produce a living for them, a second failed attempt at farming in Ogden, Utah and finally settling in Logan, Utah where Serge built two homes for his two families and was called to serve another mission in Switzerland before the two homes were completed (my grandmother, Rachel was 3 years old when he left Logan for a two year mission in Switzerland.)

My heart aches when I think of the hardship Elise Marie endured.  She was described by a close associate, Fanny Stenhouse, as “devotedly attached to her husband.  I never saw a woman more so.  She impressed me as being one of the happiest of wives”. 

Beginning in 1864 Elise Marie operated a school for girls in Logan.  With the help of her daughter, Louisa, she taught reading, writing and spelling with great success.

What I have been able to learn about Elise Marie LeCoultre Ballif tells me that this lady was one of the finest of all women.  Her daughter, Rachel, whom I knew very well, had that same ability to endure without complaining no matter how difficult her lot in life was.

Elise Marie died in Logan, Utah at age 47, having lived the life of a true Saint.  

I am highly honored to be a grandson of Elise Marie and Rachel.

–Clayton Ray Williams, October 12, 2010