Dates

• Existence: 1838 - 1864

Biographical History

Margaret F. Smith (1838-1864) was a pioneer and polygamous wife in Utah.

Margaret Fletcher West was born on May 22, 1838, in Chalk Level, Tennessee, to parents Samuel Walker West (1804-1873) and Margaret Cooper West (1804-1882). The West family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on or before 1844, joining with them in Nauvoo, Illinois, before they were driven from their homes in 1846. In 1851, with her parents and siblings, Margaret walked across the North American plains from Iowa to Utah. They settled in Parowan, Utah, by direction of Brigham Young, and there she met and married Jesse N. Smith, becoming a second wife--her sister, Emma, being the first.

Margaret married Jesse Nathaniel Smith on January 27, 1856, in Parowan, Utah, and together they had two children.

About a year after their marriage, Jesse took Margaret and their first daughter to Minersville, Utah, and built a log cabin for the small family before their second child was born. This allowed Margaret and her children to be with Jesse when he was farming the Minersville farm, and mining lead ore. When Jesse was called to serve a Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Denmark, he took Margaret and her children back to live in Parowan, near her parents and sister, under the care of his brother, Silas.

Margaret was an ambitious pioneer woman of her day--she learned how to card wool, spin, weave, darn, sew, and cook. She excelled in weaving, sufficient to support herself while her husband was away. She wrote several letters expressing her love and devotion to her husband, children, and her sister.

While taking care of her ailing father, Margaret became severely ill, herself, possibly from appendicitis. She died a few days later. Margaret died on February 1, 1864, in Parowan, Utah.

Citation:

UPB files, February 23, 2015 (Margaret Fletcher West Smith was born on May 22, 1838, in Chalk Level, Tennessee, to parents Samuel Walker West (1804-1873) and Margaret Cooper West (1804-1882); joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on or before 1844, joining with them in Nauvoo, Illinois, before they were driven from their homes in 1846; walked across the North American Planes from Iowa to Utah; settled in Parowan, Utah, by direction of Brigham Young, and there she met and married Jesse Nathaniel Smith, becoming a second wife – her sister, Emma, being the first; Married Jesse Nathaniel Smith on January 27, 1856, in Parowan, Utah, and together they had two children; a year after their marriage, Jesse took Margaret and their first daughter to Minersville, Utah, and built a log cabin for the small family before their second child was born; This allowed Margaret and her children to be with Jesse when he was farming the Minersville farm, and mining lead ore; When Jesse was called to serve a Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Denmark, he took Margaret and her children back to live in Parowan, near her parents and sister, under the care of his brother, Silas; was an ambitious Pioneer woman of her day – she learned how to card wool, spin, weave, darn, sew, and cook. She excelled in weaving, sufficient to support herself while her husband was away; wrote several letters expressing her love and devotion to her husband, children, and her sister; while taking care of her ailing father, Margaret became severely ill, herself – possibly from appendicitis; died a few days later; died on February 1, 1864, in Parowan, Utah)

Ancestry.com, Apr. 7, 2015 (Margaret F. Smith; Margaret Fletcher West; b. 1838; d. 1864)

Found in 1 Collection or Record: