Mary Fielding Smith
- Feb 7, 2022
- 5 min read
Married at 36 to Hyrum Smith.
Background
Mary Fielding was born in Bedfordshire, England on July 21, 1801. When she was 33, she moved to Canada to live with her brother and sister in Toronto, Canada. She and her siblings were Methodists, and began attending the same congregation as John Taylor. It was through this association that she and her siblings met the missionary Parley P Pratt, and were baptized. They moved to Kirtland to join the rest of the Saints. On December 24, 1837, Mary married Hyrum Smith, whose first wife had died previously. She was 36 years old, and later had two children of her own. After Hyrum's death in Carthage, Mary took her family to the Salt Lake Valley. On September 21, 1852, she died from pneumonia, leaving behind a legacy of determination and faith.
"Though I have been left, for near six months, in widowhood, in the time of great affliction, and was called to take joyfully or otherwise the spoiling of almost all our goods ... yet I do not feel the least discouraged." - Mary Fielding Smith
Accomplishments
As a single woman, Mary learned to provide for herself. She had a career as a school teacher, private tutor, and governess. She had received proposals from men over the years, but refused, saying "I never intend, whether I am right or wrong, to be united to any person whose religious sentiments do not agree with my own." And she never did. Shortly after Hyrum Smith's wife passed a way, Joseph Smith received the revelation that Hyrum was to marry Mary Fielding. We don't know much about Mary's reaction to this, except that she had had strong feelings regarding being a stepmother. She must have also felt it was right, because on December 24, 1837, she married Hyrum and took over the care of his 5 children.
After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, the Church leaders offered her a piece of property at the center of their new city. But Mary had learned to provide for herself and wanted her independence. She found some land near East Millcreek and in the spring of 1849, she and her family began building their home and dugout barn. They were even able to cultivate 40 acres of farm land.
“Nothing beneath the celestial kingdom can surpass my deathless love for the sweet true, noble, soul who gave me birth—my own, own mother! She was good! She was pure! She was indeed a Saint! A royal daughter of God.” - Joseph F Smith, about his mother, Mary
Mary's steadfastness not only influenced her life, but many generations to come. Her son, Joseph F Smith, became the sixth president of the church. Her grandson, Joseph Fielding Smith, became the tenth president of the church. Her other grandson, Hyrum Mack Smith, was an apostle. Her great-great-grandson is M Russell Ballard, who currently serves as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Stories
Mary, a single mother, brought all 7 of her children across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley. She was assigned to travel with Cornelius P Lott and his company. She didn't have enough oxen to pull both her family's wagons, so she arrived in Winter Quarters with a few oxen pulling both wagons at once. When she arrived, the Captain, Cornelius Lott, told her, "If you start out in this manner, you will be a burden on the company the whole way, and I will have to carry you along or leave you on the way." But Mary was determined to make the trip west. She looked Captain Lott in the eyes and said, "I will beat you to the valley and will ask no help from you either." The captain was clearly bothered and replied, "You can't get there without help, and the burden will be on me." Mary's son Joseph, held bitter feelings towards this captain, as he was well aware of the pain the captain's words had caused his mother.
But Captain Lott severely underestimated Mary Fielding Smith. Along the way, one of her best oxen laid down and refused to go on. It seemed to be on the brink of death. Noticing this, the captain came over and, instead of offering compassion, told Mary, "There, I told you you would have to be helped and that you would be a burden on the company." Without responding, she took out a bottle of consecrated oil and asked her brother and another member of the company to give a blessing to the ox. Administering a blessing to an animal had never been done before, however, Mary had the faith that God would heal the ox because it was necessary for her to complete her journey. After the blessing, the ox got up and continued on as if nothing had happened. This happened twice more, with two other oxen. Both times, a blessing was given, and the oxen continued the journey. Interestingly, Captain Lott lost three of his oxen and one of his mules along the way, and he himself had to ask for help to continue.
On September 22, 1848, the company arrived on the east side of East Mountain. They could see the Salt Lake Valley and only had one day left before their arrival. The following morning, when the company was preparing for the last leg of the journey, Mary realized some of her cattle had strayed away. While her family began looking for the cattle, Captain Lott ordered the company to continue on and leave Mary behind. It was a clear day, however, just as the company was making its way up the hill, a "big, dark, heavy cloud" appeared and a terrible rain storm ensued. During the storm, most of the company's cattle ran off into the hills. Just as the storm was ending, one of Mary's sons appeared with their lost cattle. When asked what to do next, Mary responded, "They have not waited for us, and I see no necessity for us to wait for them." So, while the rest of the company searched for their lost cattle, Mary continued on and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley that night. The rest of the company would not arrive until the next day.
And thus, Mary Fielding Smith kept her promise. She beat Captain Lott to the valley, and asked no help of him along the way.
"The Lord knows what is best for us. I feel but little concerned about where I am, if I can keep my mind staid upon God; for, you know in this there is perfect peace. I believe the Lord is overruling all things for our good." - Mary Fielding Smith
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