Elizabeth Ann Whitney
| Elizabeth Ann Whitney | ||
|---|---|---|
|
ca. 1870 | ||
| Second Counselor in the general presidency of the Relief Society | ||
| 1866 – December 5, 1887 | ||
| Called by | Eliza R. Snow | |
| Predecessor | Dormant | |
| Successor | Bathsheba W. Smith | |
| Second Counselor in the general presidency of the Relief Society | ||
| March 17, 1842 – 1844 | ||
| Called by | Emma Hale Smith | |
| Predecessor | Founding Member | |
| Successor | Dormant | |
| Personal details | ||
| Born |
Elizabeth Ann Smith December 26, 1800 Derby, Connecticut, United States | |
| Died |
February 15, 1882 (aged 81) Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |
| Resting place |
Salt Lake City Cemetery 40°46′37″N 111°51′29″W / 40.777°N 111.858°W | |
| Spouse(s) | Newel K. Whitney | |
| Parents |
Gibson Smith Polly Bradley | |
|
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Elizabeth Ann Smith Whitney (December 26, 1800 – February 15, 1882) was an early Latter Day Saint leader, and wife to Newel K. Whitney, another early Latter Day Saint leader.
Early life and marriage
Elizabeth Ann Smith was born in Derby, Connecticut to Gibson Smith and Polly Bradley.[1] She was the couple's oldest child.[2] Her parents weren't members of any church, although they were Christian. As a child, she was taught dancing.[3] She left her parents at about age 18 and moved to Kirtland, Ohio with her aunt Sarah Smith, who was a spinster.[2] When she was 20 she met her future husband, Newel K. Whitney. The couple was married on October 20, 1822.[1] They quickly accumulated wealth and status in their community.[2] They had eleven children together and adopted several homeless children.[4]
Mormomism
Whitney and her husband were among the inner circle of early Mormonism with Joseph Smith and later Brigham Young, with whom they would travel west and settled in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory with.
Conversion
In Kirtland, Elizabeth and her husband joined the Disciples of Christ, called the Campbellites at the time, led in the area by Sidney Rigdon. This group denied it had power to give the gift of the Holy Spirit.[2] This, along with vague answers to Whitney's questions, caused her and her husband couple to pray for direction.[5] In response to that prayer, the couple claimed to have seen a vision and a voice stating, "Prepare to receive the word of the Lord, for it is coming!"[2]
Sidney Rigdon converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which had been established by Joseph Smith in April of 1830. in 1830, Whitney heard of his conversion and of the missionaries who were in the area. She went home after hearing them speak to share with her husband that she felt it was the right church. She and her husband chose to be baptized in November 1830. They had 3 children at the time.[6]
Joseph and Emma Smith arrived at Newel K. Whitney's store in Kirtland in December of 1830. Joseph said, "I am Joseph the Prophet; you have prayed me here; now what do you want of me?"[6] Joseph then stayed in their home.[4] While there, he received revelations that are recorded in Doctrine and Covenants.[6]
Whitney and her husband hosted a three-day feast for the poor in January of 1836. They lost some of their wealth when the Kirtland Safety Society Banking Company collapsed and people began persecuting members of the church.[5]
Traveling Westward
Whitney and her family traveled with the members of the church. They left Kirtland to move to Far West, Missouri in the fall of 1838 due to persecution. They had six children at the time.[7] However, when they reached St. Louis, they were informed that Latter-day Saints were being kicked out of Missouri. They settled in Carrollton, Illinois during the winter of 1839–1839. They then moved to Quincy, Illinois during the next winter. By the spring of 1840, they had reached Nauvoo, Illinois, then called Commerce.[1] When the family reached Nauvoo, most of them were sick, and Whitney had her ninth child.[7] The couple recieved their endowments were sealed in the Nauvoo Temple by Joseph Smith. Afterward, Whitney worked in the temple each day until it closed from 1845–1846.[4]
The family continued moving with the Saints, and went to Winter Quarters in February 1846 before migrating to the Salt Lake Valley. They arrived in Salt Lake City on September 24, 1848.[1] Two years later, her husband died.[5]
LDS Church service
In March 1842, Whitney became one of the original leaders of the Relief Society, with Emma Hale Smith, Sarah M. Cleveland, and Eliza Roxcy Snow (who had been her acquaintance in Kirtland). Whitney served as the second counselor under Emma Smith.[8] Whitney also served as second counselor to Eliza R. Snow in the Relief Society presidency from 1880–1882.[5]
Beginning in August 1878, Whitney's autobiography was published in a series called A Leaf from an Autobiography in Woman's Exponent.
Death
Elizabeth Whitney was affectionately called "Mother Whitney" by members of the church or her service and compassion.[4] It is noted that she had the gift of tongues, and that she even sang in tongues.[5] She died in Salt Lake City in 1882[1] and was buried in Salt Lake City Cemetery.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Whitney, Elizabeth Ann Smith. The Joseph Smith Papers (The Church Historian's Press). 18 March 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Tullidge, Edward W. (1877). The Women of Mormondom. New York. pp. 32–42. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- ↑ Wells, Emmeline B, ed. (15 Aug 1878). "A Leaf from an Autobiography". The Woman's Exponent 7 (6): 41. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Quinn, D. Michael (December 1978). "The Newel K. Whitney Family". Ensign (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Retrieved 6 May 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Black, Susan Easton; Woodger, Mary Jane (2011). Women of Character. American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications. pp. 365–368. ISBN 9781680470185.
- 1 2 3 Wells, Emmeline B, ed. (9 Sep 1878). "A Leaf from an Autobiography". The Woman's Exponent 7 (7): 51. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
- 1 2 Wells, Emmeline B, ed. (15 Nov 1878). "A Leaf from an Autobiography". The Woman's Exponent 7 (12): 91. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
- ↑ Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book, p. 8
External links
- Leaf from an Autobiography, page 33, Woman's Exponent, 1 Aug, 1878
- Leaf from an Autobiography, page 41, Woman's Exponent, 15 Aug, 1878
- Leaf from an Autobiography, page 51, Woman's Exponent, 1 Sept, 1878
- Leaf from an Autobiography, page 71, Woman's Exponent, 1 Oct, 1878
- Leaf from an Autobiography, page 83, Woman's Exponent, 1 Nov, 1878
- Leaf from an Autobiography, page 91, Woman's Exponent, 15 Nov, 1878
- Leaf from an Autobiography, page 105, Woman's Exponent, 15 Dec, 1878
- Leaf from an Autobiography, page 115, Woman's Exponent, 1 Jan, 1879
- Leaf from an Autobiography, page 191, Woman's Exponent, 15 Feb, 1879
- Finding aid author: Jennifer Kim (2014). "Newel Kimball Whitney papers". Prepared for the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Provo, UT. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
- Deed for land in Salt Lake City sold to the Whitney family, BYU, Harold B. Lee Library, L. Tom Perry Special Collections
- Newel and Elizabeth Whitney's Patriarchal Blessings 1835, BYU, Harold B. Lee Library, L. Tom Perry Special Collections
- Elizabeth Whitney's Patriarchal Blessing 1855, BYU, Harold B. Lee Library, L. Tom Perry Special Collections
- Elizabeth Whitney Court Summons, BYU, Harold B. Lee Library, L. Tom Perry Special Collections
Elizabeth Ann Whitney at Find a Grave
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