I Abigail Smith Abbott

8/14/2019 I Abigail Smith Abbott

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I Abigail Smith Abbott was born in the town of Williamson,Ontario Co, New York. 11 Sep. 1806. My mother, LydiaHarding Smith died when I was six weeks old and my fathermarried Mehitable Adams, when I was nine months old.

I was badly treated by my stepmother, so badly that theneighbors came unbeknown to my father and took me away.After six weeks time he found me through the assistance ofa Baptist minister by the name of Demock, who informed myfather as to why I was taken from his home. This causedsome discussions between the two parties. Rev Demockwas a very warm friend of my mother, she being a memberof the church over which he presided. I was not left

friendless; being under the care of a kind father whoseparental love was too strong to be parted from hismotherless child.

At seventeen I was taught to be somewhat religious,although my father did not belong to any religious


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denomination, yet he was a very moral man. I generally saidmy prayers in secret and my desires for my own salvationwere but know to myself. For sometime I experienced greatanxiety pertaining to the salvation of my soul. My prayers

were answered with a dream.

I dreamed that I was on a high, elevated plain which was abeautiful green. Standing alone and at a little distance fromme, I saw a large company of people arrayed entirely inwhite apparel, who seemed to be marching at a slow pace,singing a song that sounded more glorious than any song Ihad ever heard before, I was filled with rapture and anxiety

to learn the song and be associated with them. I did not goto them but learned one verse of the song. I awoke and sungthis song and recited it to my friends and told them mydream. The song was erased from my memory and from thattime on I have not been able to recall it.

I went to visit my uncle and aunt Mr. and Mrs. ThomasSmith, who lived in Allegheny County. I had learned to be agood linen weaver, and Mrs. James Abbott, Senior, hearingabout me, offered me a job weaving linen, which I accepted.I remained there until I was married to her son, StephenAbbott, on 11 Dec 1825, at the age of nineteen. My father,being pleased over my marriage paid me a short visit,requesting that I return the visit soon.

It was not until nearly two years later that I had theopportunity to visit my father. I met again my old friends who

gave their good wishes for our welfare. We completed ourvisit and parted with many of our friends, that later proved tobe a final separation in the flesh. We returned home againsafely to my new father and mother and I stayed with themthrough the winter.


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On the second of April 1826, we moved to Danville, NewYork. My husband went into the cabinet making businesswith Samuel A Smith, which lasted two years.

Mr. Abbott bought out his partner and engaged inpartnership with his brother, James Abbott. At about thistime there was a great upheaval in all the Churches thatspread from town to town and city to city until the soundwent through the United States. Early in 1830, the news wascirculated from press to press about the bringing forth of thebook of Mormon by Joseph Smith. At this time we moved toHornellsville, living there six years. Mr. Abbott went west to

Perry Pike County Illinois and purchased a quarter section ofland. He returned by way of Michigan, stopping to visit histwo brothers. Ten weeks later he returned to embrace isfamily. After preparations were made for our journey to ournew home in the far west, we started on the 14th of April1837, traveling from Olean Point down the Allegheny Riveron a flat boat to Illinois and landed at Naples, twelve milesfrom our new home. This journey took us five weeks.

Through the summer we built our home and cultivated ourland. The second day of December our youngest son wasborn. A promising child indeed, to be blessed with in astrange land. We enjoyed good health and prospered fromyear to year.

Mr. Abbott and myself had the opportunity of investigatingthe principles of the Gospel called Mormonism. We were

instructed by Joseph Wood and William Burton. Our mindswere not easily turned from our former principles, but afterthree month study, we were in full faith of the principles andpromises of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.We moved to Nauvoo in the fall of 1842, shortly after wewere baptized. My husband worked in Nauvoo and on the


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river until October 1843, when he became ill with pneumoniaand died October 19th. At the time of his death he waspreparing to go on his second mission.

Joseph Smith, the prophet, spoke at his funeral and said thathe had been called on the other side to fill his mission.

After Mr. Abbotts death there was nine months sickness inmy family that exhausted our money, compelling my self andthe three eldest daughter to seek work. I took a small groupof children to teach, besides fencing and tilling one and onehalf acres of land, on the 6th of July 1849, I gathered my

children together, eight in all, and one son in law, and startedfor the valley of the mountains in George A Smithscompany. As we had to walk across the plains, I mademoccasins for my children to wear, as I did not know when Iwould get shoes for them again. We came in contact withmany Indians but were never harmed by them, for instead offighting them, everyone gave them food.

Four months to the day, we arrived in Salt Lake. We went toOgden on October 26 1849 where we had friends and tookten acres of land for a farm. We built a three room log housewith a dirt roof. I got some cows that the people were notusing and made cheese and butter, selling it to people goingthrough the country to the Californian gold mines.

In 1857 Johnstons army was sent to Utah which proved tobe a blessing in disguise. We exchanged butter, eggs,

chickens and cheese for sugar, flour and clothing. After theharrowing time we lived in Nauvoo, we praised God forgiving us the beautiful and peaceful valley ofthe mountainsof Utah


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Abigail Smith Abbott died July 23 1889 at Willard City BoxElder County Utah at the home of her daughter Mrs.Abraham Zundel (Abigail), nearing her eighty third birthday.

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I Abigail Smith Abbott