Mary Fielding

https://familysearch.org/tree/#view=ancestor&person=KWV9-HXG&section=memories   Baptism: 21 May 1836         21 May 1836   The next afternoon Elder Parley P. Pratt baptized several people from Charleton and also some who had come out from Toronto. (O. Pratt, journal, 21 May 1836.) Parley later described the events that followed, saying:   After I closed my discourse, we went to the water [Black Creek] and I baptized nine persons, who, apparently, came with contrite spirits, believing with all their hearts: expressing a full determination to serve the Lord to the end. – The next day being Sunday, May 22 , the numbers of those who had been baptized having increased to twenty five, and brethren O. Pratt and F. Nickerson and being present and assisting, we laid our hands upon them and confirmed them in the name of the Lord Jesus, for the gift of the Holy Ghost. In the ordinances of the day, we were blessed with joy and peace and with the powers of the Holy Ghost. Thus grew the word of God and prevailed mightily. (MA 2:320.)   Joseph Fielding (another Englishman, born at Honeydon, Bedfordshire) identified himself and his sisters Mary and Mercy as being amongst the nine who were baptized in Black Creek on the 21st of May. He likewise recorded their confirmation the next day under the hands of Parley P. Pratt in the chapel in a barn. (MS 2:51.) As others in the area requested baptism, Parley stated that they ‘organized a branch of the Church, for the people there drank in truth as water, and loved it as they loved life.’ (P.Pratt, p. 152.) Joseph Fielding wrote that ‘all the members in my neighbourhood met at my House, as their Sanctuary, until I removed.’ (He went first to Toronto and then to Kirtland, in March-April 1837.) Truth Will Prevail: The Rise of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the British Isles 1837-1987, by V. Ben Bloxham, James R. Moss and Larry C. Porter, Solihull, England: 1987, pages 32-33.   Soon after his wife’s death, Elder [Parley P.] Pratt returned to Toronto ‘to confer on the subject of a mission to England.’ He explained that ‘several of the Saints in Canada were English, who had friends in England. Letters had already been sent to them with information of the rise of the Church, and of its principles. Several of the Canadian Elders felt a desire to go on a mission to their friends in that country.’   In March 1837 Joseph Fielding moved with his family from Charleton to Toronto, as an intermediate step in their removal to Kirtland. When he met Elder Pratt in Toronto, Parley told him that ‘the way was opened for them to go to other nations, and it was determined that some should go to England as soon as possible.’ Brother Fielding was thrilled with the prospects of such a mission, and wrote:   It had been my earnest prayer ever since I came into the Church, but especially during the winter, that the Lord would open the way, the glad tidings to go to my native country, particularly to my Brethren in the flesh; my sisters and myself had written to them once on the subject, but I was afraid to write to them more lest I should not do it with that wisdom and which the subject required, and so might do harm instead of Good…I also had some desire to be one among those that should go, but felt myself very ill qualified to go on so important [a] mission, and had I not know the Lord takes the weak things of the World to confound the strong I never would have thought of entering on such a work.   The Fieldings had many family members in England with whom they were anxious to share the gospel. Among these were their brothers John and Thomas at Bedford; a sister, Ann Fielding Matthews, wife of the Rev. Timothy Matthews, also at Bedford; another brother, the Rev. James Fielding, at Preston; and another sister, Martha Ibbotson Watson, also at Preston. Joseph Fielding asked Elder John Taylor to write to his brother James in Preston. Elder Taylor did so, giving James an account of the restoration of the gospel, and also wrote to Brother Fielding’s brother-in-law, the Rev. Timothy Matthews, in Bedford. John Taylor later said that this correspondence was the first announcement of the restoration in England by an authorized servant of God.   Moved by the spirit of gathering, Joseph Fielding and his sisters Mary and Mercy moved to Kirtland in the spring of 1837. There they could enjoy the company of the saints as well as the blessings of the recently completed temple. (Later that year, on 4 June 1837, Mercy Rachel Fielding would marry an Englishman who, like herself, had joined the Church in Canada, Robert Blashel Thompson, with the Prophet Joseph performing the marriage ceremony; and the following winter, on the 24 of December, Mary Fielding would marry the Prophet’s brother Hyrum Smith, who would by then be a widower with five small children, his wife Jerusha Barden having died in October.) “In the spring of ‘48 there was a move westward and the widow went to Elkhorn. Up to this time one of the teams had two wagons and when we reached a hill, we uncoupled one wagon, taking one at a time. The widow feared to cross the plains in this way and so applied to the Church agent for help. This was refused and she was advised to turn back. This she declined to do, telling the agent, ‘I will beat you to the valley and ask for no help either.’ The agent’s answer was, ‘You will prove a burden to your company.’ Accompanied by her brother, she went back and returned fully equipped, having arranged for the loan of teams, promising to send them back on reaching the valley. On being assigned to companies, the widow’s lot fell to that of the agent who had refused her assistance. “We journeyed on, meeting with mishaps, losing our oxen, etc. At one time, I remember, one of our oxen, ‘Old Buck’ was taken sick and the captain said: ‘It will die, unyoke it, and leave it,’ closing his remarks with, ‘I told you that you would be a burden to your company.’ The widow went to her wagon, brought a bottle of consecrated oil and with the assistance of Brothers Fielding and Terry used it. ‘Old Buck’ jumped to his feet and we went on our way rejoicing. Later the captain met with the same misfortune, the widow offered help but her assistance was declined. “Just before entering the valley, we were met by Brother James Lawson, who had come to assist and guide us. On the 22nd of September, 1848, we saw the valley and we were among the happiest people on the earth. We saw our Mecca, our resting place. “At the last camping place the widow again lost her oxen, and the captain not being willing to wait, the company rolled out, leaving the widow behind and here she expected to spend the night, but shortly after the company left a cloud burst, the rain literally poured, driving the cattle into camp. We yoked up, continued our journey and passed the captain on the way. We did not stop and camp at dark, but with Brother Lawson for guide traveled on, reaching the fort at 11 the night of September 23rd. “The next day, September 24th, was Sunday. After the luxury of a bath, we went to meeting and heard Brother Brigham and others preach. On our way home, we met the captain, tired and dirty, just entering the fort, thus proving the truth of the widow’s words: ‘I will beat you to the valley and ask for no help either.’ "

      Name: Mary Fielding Gender: Female Relationship to Primary Person: Self (Head) Father: John Fielding Mother: Rachel Ibatson Birth Date: 21 Jul 1801 Birth Place: Honidon, Bedfordshire, England Death Date: 21 Sep 1852 Death Place: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA Burial Date: 23 Sep 1852 Burial Place: Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA LDS Church Ordinance Data: Baptism Date: May 21, 1836 LDS Temple Ordinance Data: Endowment Date: December 10, 1845 Temple: Nauvoo, Hancock, IL, USA Sealed to Parents Date: May 9, 1919 Sealed to Spouse Date: May 29, 1843 Sealed to Spouse Date: January 15, 1846 Temple: Nauvoo, Hancock, IL, USA Comments: Mary had to take an administrative oath that bound her to fulfill herrole as administrator of Hyrum Smith’s estate before David Greenleaf. Comments: #21. Mary Fielding was the wife of Patriarch Hyrum Smith. She joined the Methodist Society when very young and continued a faithful and zealous member of the organization until May of 1836 when she became acquainted with Parley P. Pratt and the gospel. In 1837 she moved to Kirtland, Geauga, Ohio where she soon married Hyrum Smith entering upon the important duties of stepmother to five children. She performed this task with unwavering fidelity under the most afflictive and trying circumstances. On the 1st of November, 1838, while she was in a delicate state of health, her husband was betrayed by Col. George M. Hinkle into the hands of the mob at Far West, Missouri. On the following day she was informed that she had seen her husband “for the last time.” From this time on she was confined to her bed until she gave birth to her son four months later. In January, 1839, she was taken in a wagon on her sick bed to see her husband, then confined by the mob as a prisoner in Liberty Jail. In February, still confined to her bed, she was driven from Far West, Missouri with the rest of the saints. After much suffering, she arrived in Quincy, Illinois, where she remained until the arrival of her husband on April 22, 1839. In May, she moved with her husband to Commerce. In 1843 she set on foot the “Sisters Penny Subscription” for the purpose of buying nails and glass for the Nauvoo Temple. By the massacre at Carthage, Illinois, June 27, 1844, she was left a widow and the sole guardian of a large family and dependents, for whom, by her indefatigable exertions she provided the means of support and removal from Nauvoo in the fall of 1846 to Winter Quarters and from there to the Great Salt Lake Valley. In the spring of 1850 she took up land and made a farm about six or seven miles south of the Temple Block. In two years she made a comfortable home and had acquired considerable property. While on a visit to the City in 1852 she was suddenly taken ill and called at Heber C. Kimball’s home expecting soon to be better, but she continued to fail until her death. Her last wish was that she might live for the sake of her children. Sister Smith was a devout saint and truly a mother in Israel. She possessed great faith and all those peculiar qualifications which support and invigorate the mind in adversity. She endured afflictions and overcame difficulties with a degree of patience and perseverance worthy of imitation.   From http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=LDSVitalMembership1830-1848&rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-d&gsfn=mary&gsfn_x=NP_NN&gsln=fielding&gsln_x=NS_NP_NN&dbOnly=_83004006%7c_83004006_x&uidh=m42&pcat=37&fh=2&h=29046&recoff=4+5+63&ml_rpos=3   Name: Mary Fielding Sources: Page 120; Author: Church of Jesus Christ; Title: History of the Church, 6 volumes. 2:492 – bapt. May 1832; Page 166; Author: Platt, Lyman D. ; Title: Nauvoo, 1839-1846. 1:– – wife of HYRUM SMITH; Page 186; Author: ____________________; Title: The Israel Barlow Story, 255 – arr SLC 23 Sep 1848   From http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=earmornam&gss=angs-d&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=mary&gsln=fielding&MSAV=1&uidh=m42&pcat=37&fh=0&h=8798&recoff=3+4&ml_rpos=1     Name: Mary Fielding Sources: Page 112; Author: Church of Jesus Christ; Title: A Book of Proxy, 10   From http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=earmornam&gss=angs-d&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=mary&gsln=fielding&MSAV=1&uidh=m42&pcat=37&fh=1&h=8799&recoff=3+4&ml_rpos=2     Name: Mary Fielding Sources: Page 188; Author: _____________________; Title: A Profile of Latter-day Saints of Kirtland, Ohio and Members of Zion’s Camp, 63, 119   From http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=earmornam&gss=angs-d&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=mary&gsln=fielding&MSAV=1&uidh=m42&pcat=37&fh=2&h=8800&recoff=3+4&ml_rpos=3     Name: Mary Fielding Sources: Page 112; Author: Church of Jesus Christ; Title: A Book of Proxy, 10 Notes: b. 21 Jul 1801, Bedfordshire, Eng, sealed to HYRUM SMITH (deceased) 15 Jan 1846, sealed to HEBER C. KIMBALL for time   From http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=earmornam&gss=angs-d&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=mary&gsln=fielding&MSAV=1&uidh=m42&pcat=37&fh=3&h=8801&recoff=3+4&ml_rpos=4   Smith, Mary Fielding, wife of Patriarch Hyrum Smith, was born July 21, 1801, in Honeydon, Bedfordshire, England, the daughter of John Fielding and Rachel Ibbotson. She joined the Methodist Society when very young and continued a faithful and zealous member of that organization till May, 1836, when by the instrumentality of Elder Parley P. Pratt she became acquainted with the principles of the everlasting gospel and was baptized in connection with her brother Joseph and her sister Mercy Rachel by Parley P. Pratt, near Toronto, Upper Canada, to which place she had immigrated in the year 1834. In 1837 she moved to Kirtland, Geauga county, Ohio, where she shortly afterwards married Hyrum Smith, entering upon the important duties of stepmother to five children, which task she performed with unwavering fidelity under the most afflictive and trying circumstances. On the 1st of November, 1838, while she was in a delicate state of health, her husband was betrayed by Col. Geo. M. Hinkle into the hands of the mob at Far West, and on the day following she was informed that she had seen her husband “for the last time”. From this time she was confined to her bed of affliction for four months. November 13, 1838, she gave birth to her son Joseph F. (now the President of the Church). In January, 1839, she was taken in a wagon on her sick bed to see her husband, then confined by the mob as a prisoner in Liberty Jail, Clay county, Missouri. In February, following, still confined to her bed, she was driven from Far West out of the State of Missouri, together with the rest of the saints. After much suffering, she arrived in Quincy, Illinois, where she remained until the arrival of her husband, April 22, 1839. In May, following, she moved with her husband to Commerce (afterwards Nauvoo). May 14, 1841, her daughter Martha Ann was born. In 1843 she set on foot the “Sisters’ Penny Subscription” for the purpose of buying nails and glass for the Nauvoo Temple. By the massacre at Carthage, Illinois, June 27, 1844, she was left a widow and the sole guardian of a large family and dependents, for whom by her indefatigable exertions, she provided the means of support and removal from Nauvoo in the fall (September) of 1846 to Winter Quarters, and from there to Great Salt Lake Valley in 1848. In the spring of 1850 she took up land and made a farm about six or seven miles south of the Temple Block, Salt Lake City, afterwards Sugar House Ward, and on what later became the county road, and in the course of two years she made a comfortable home and acquired considerable property. While on a visit to the City in 1852, she was suddenly taken ill and called at Pres. Heber C. Kimball’s home, expecting soon to be better, but where she continued to fail until September 21, 1852, when she died. Her last wish was that she might live for the sake of her children. Sister Smith was a devout saint and truly a mother in Israel. She possessed great faith and all those peculiar qualifications which support and invigorate the mind in adversity. She endured afflictions and overcame difficulties with a degree of patience and perseverance worthy of imitation. She was buried in the cemetery, east of Salt Lake City, September 23, 1852.   From http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=ldsbio&gss=sfs28_ms_db&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=mary&gsln=fielding&MSAV=1&uidh=m42   Among the settlers on Mill Creek further down the valley were Mary Fielding Smith, widow of the martyred Patriarch Hyrum Smith, and members of his family. Other settlers, who arrived in 1848 and 1849, including the well-known Gardner family, Reuben Miller, Alexander Hill, Joseph Fielding and others, settled at various points on and near Mill Creek and Big Cottonwood Creek. Archibald Gardner and associates built a saw mill and subsequently a flouring mill, about two miles below the John Neff’s mill site. In the winter of 1849–1850, religious services were held in Alex Hill’s private residence on Big Cottonwood Creek. During the few following years meetings were held in private houses, and in 1853 the first school house, a small adobe building, was erected on the State Road, immediately north of Big Cottonwood Creek. Another small school house, known as the North School House, was built further east, and still another house, 20 by 30 feet, was built in 1855, near the point where the so-called Big Ditch crossed the County Road leading to Union Fort. A similar school house was built a short distance east of the first school house on Big Cottonwood Creek. Still later the so-called Scott School House was built near the northern limits of the ward. A good and substantial meeting house was erected in 1858. At the time of the general “Move” in April and May, 1858, the Mill Creek saints, who left their homes at the approach of Johnston’s Army, located temporarily at Spanish Fork, Utah Co., Utah, and some of them at other places.   From http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=enclds&gss=sfs28_ms_db&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=mary&gsln=fielding&MSAV=1&uidh=m42      

Footnotes