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Phoebe Carter Woodruff

  • Mar 26, 2022
  • 4 min read

Married at age 30 to Wilford Woodruff



Background


Phoebe Carter was born in Maine on March 8, 1807. She met the missionaries in 1834 and decided to get baptized. No one else in her family joined the church. A year later, she decided to move to Kirtland to join the rest of the Saints. She was 28 and single, moving alone to a new land with no means of providing for herself. It was in Kirtland, however, that she met Wilford Woodruff. The two of them were married in 1837, when both were 30 years old. They moved to Utah with the other Saints, where she went on to be a ward Relief Society President, and her husband became the prophet. She died in 1885 at age 78 from a head injury. At the time, Wilford was in hiding because of his practice of polygamy. He risked arrest by coming to see Phoebe. He was unable to attend her funeral, but he gave her a blessing shortly before she passed.


Accomplishments


Phoebe was on the Deseret Hospital Board of Directors, she was an official worker for the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society and she was on the presiding board for the Ladies' Cooperative Retrenchment Association (the pre-cursor to the Young Women's Organization). She later became one of the members of the Executive Board of the Deseret Hospital. She was on a committee for women's suffrage.


Phoebe is one of the earliest known female missionaries of the church (6). She often travelled with her husband on his various missionary assignments. She was set apart as a missionary in the British Mission with her husband, where they served from 1845-1846 (7).


In the 1880's, the church was facing legal consequences for their practice of plural marriage. Several church leaders, including Wilford, had to go into hiding to avoid arrest. During this time, Phoebe was an outspoken defender of polygamy. She said, "When the principle of polygamy was first taught I thought it was the most wicked thing I ever heard of; consequently I opposed it to the best of my ability, until I became sick and wretched. As soon, however, as I became convinced that it originated as a revelation from God through Joseph, and knowing him to be a prophet, I wrestled with my Heavenly Father in fervent prayer, to be guided aright at that all-important moment of my life. The answer came. Peace was given to my mind. I knew it was the will of God; and from that time to the present I have sought to faithfully honor the patriarchal law" (1). Five years after Phoebe's death, Wilford would go on to end the practice of polygamy in the church.


"Sister Phoebe W. Woodruff is one of the noblest examples of her sex,- truly a mother in Israel; and in her strength of character, consistency and devotion, she has but few peers in the Church." (4) - A historian's take on Phoebe

Stories


When Phoebe decided to get baptized, she was the only one of her friends and family to do so. She decided to move to Kirtland, alone, at age 28. The decision was difficult. Of this experience, she related, "My friends marveled at my course, as did I, but something within impelled me on. My mother's grief at my leaving home was almost more than I could bear; and had it not been for the spirit within I should have faltered at the last. My mother told me she would rather see me buried than going thus alone out into the heartless world. "Phoebe," she said, impressively, "will you come back to me if you find Mormonism false?" I answered, "yes, mother; I will, thrice." These were my words, and she knew I would keep my promise. My answer relieved her trouble; but it cost us all much sorrow to part. When the time came for my departure I dared not trust myself to say farewell; so I wrote my good-byes to each, and leaving them on my table, ran downstairs and jumped into the carriage. Thus I left the beloved home of my childhood to link my life with the saints of God" (1).



One of the most miraculous stories from Phoebe's life happened in December 1838, when she and Wilford were traveling to Illinois. She became very ill and after many restless nights, she died. Wilford was "overcome with faith" and gave her a blessing. Wilford related of this experience, "While this operation as going on with me (as my wife related afterwards) her spirit left her body, and she saw it lying upon the bed, and the sisters weeping. She looked at them and at me, and upon her babe, and, while gazing upon this scene, two personages came into the room carrying a coffin and told her they had come for her body. One of these messengers informed her that she could have her choice: she might go to rest in the spirit world, or, on one condition she could have the privilege of returning to her tabernacle and continuing her labors upon the earth. The condition was, if she felt that she could stand by her husband, and with him pass through all the cares, trials, tribulation and afflictions of life which he would be called to pass through for the gospel's sake unto the end. When she looked at the situation her husband and child she said: "Yes, I will do it!" At the moment that decision was made the power of faith rested upon me, and when I administered unto her, her spirit entered her tabernacle, and she saw the messengers carry the coffin out at the door" (2).



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