Lydia Knight (1844-1905)
Birthdate: 6 June 1844 at Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois to Newel Knight and Lydia Goldthwaite.
Death: 8 May 1905 at Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico. Crossed the Plains to Utah arriving 3 October 1850 with the Edward Hunter Wagon Train. Married John Ray Young at Santaquin, Utah County, Utah Territory, 31 January 1861 at age 16. Lydia's parents, Newel Knight and Lydia Goldthwait Bailey Knight were early converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As such they were close friends of the Prophet Joseph Smith. In early historical writings, the Knight family was referred to as one of the three "first families" of the church in this dispensation. They were key players in many of the noted historical events that transpired in New York, Ohio, Missouri and Illinois. Lydia's father, Newel, was a believer in the "Restored Truths" of the newly organized church in the very truest sense. He was, therefore, highly invested in the primary events of his day. When Joseph and Hyrum were martyred at Carthage it was not only a tragic time for the community of followers but a personal loss to Lydia's parents, almost beyond understanding. It cemented their loyalty and commitment in a way that has carried through to this day in members of succeeding generations. When Nauvoo was besieged and the call to move west was declared, Lydia's family were among the first company of pioneers to head out. Unfortunately, this fact worked against them in the harshest of ways. Lydia was a fair haired toddler of two years when they crossed the Mississippi River into Iowa in April of 1846. They had two fine wagons to carry all their possessions with three yoke of oxen, and two cows. When Brigham Young's decision to establish Winter Quarters was made, Newel's group was seven days west. With cooperation from the local Indians they traveled north and established a temporary camp at Ponca on the Missouri River near present day Niobrara, Nebraska. In January, Lydia's father became very ill and died. This was a tragic time for his widow and family and a another baby was on the way. In April, the group living at Ponca Camp were moved to Winter Quarters. The brethren helped Lydia's mother make a place for her family to be sheltered as well as possible. In August a baby boy was born and named Hyrum Helaman. The family survived through trying times at Winter Quarters for three years. In April of 1850, the family joined Bishop Hunters group to cross the Plains. Lydia was six years old. The family walked much of the way and were very happy when they reached the valley in the mountains. They worked together and made adobes and built a little home. The first school Lydia attended was taught by her mother. A few years later the family moved to Provo and it was here that Lydia grew to womanhood. In 1861, she became the plural wife of John R. Young. Love and friendship grew between Lydia and Albina Terry, the first wife as they struggled with raising families, and the hardships of pioneer life. They lived in Payson for a few years and were then called together with John R.'s brother Franklin, to go to Dixie. Franklin settled at Grafton while John R. bought an Indian farm in Santa Clara that was situated on a creek just below the Old Mission Fort. John R., Lydia and Albina worked hard to clear the land. As he grubbed the heavy sage brush and squaw bush that covered the land, Albina and Lydia piled the brush and kept fires going so they could work longer days by firelight. They were ambitious to have good homes and their hard and resolute work wherever they lived helped them to do this. John R. Young, was called on three separate missions and it was a significant struggle for his families to take care of themselves while he was away. Lydia taught school, as her mother had, and worked over a wash-tub and was willing to do whatever she could to take care of her children. |
Lydia was gifted with her hands and always kept busy spinning, knitting, and braiding straw for hats. At the time of the silk worm venture in Santa Clara, Lydia made mitts and a shawl out of silk that her mother had made. These articles are now in the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Museum in Salt Lake City. Her children were as well clothed and taken care of as her busy hands could make them.
In 1873/1874, President Brigham Young visited them and taught the principle of the United Order. Lydia accepted the principle and was baptized into the order at Orderville. She was a faithful member for seven years. In the Order she had a period of time that was full of love, peace and security. She was called to the millinery department. Here she had the opportunity to use her artistic ability to make hats. She could braid and dye straw and sometimes use it in it's natural color. She could add feathers and flowers as talent and available materials were to be found. After the death of Brigham Young, there was a period of discontent in the Order and individuals began to break away. John R. was one of them and this made Lydia feel great sorrow. She had a loyal and determined nature and she felt that as long as the order existed, they were duty bound to stay in it. She did stay and this meant a temporary separation from her husband. Later on under President Erastes Snow the members were honorably released and Lydia and John R. were again united. Then came the years of persecution of those living polygamy. Plural wives lived daily in fear of being found by the federal officers. Husbands went into hiding. Sickness, poverty, and fear were shared by Lydia and the other wives. She tried to remain cheerful and brave but finally John R. decided to take two of his three living wives and their families to Old Mexico. The long hard trip to Mexico was made by wagon over deserts and mountains and they were often hungry and thirsty (see Exodus to Mexico). When they finally made it across the border, they felt free and happy. John R. left Lydia in Colonia Dublan and took his third wife Tamar and her family to Colonia Pachaco. One and a half years later John R. returned to the states locating at Fruitland, New Mexico with his third wife Tamar and her family. Lydia was left at Colonia Dublan where she died and was buried there in 1905 at the age of sixty-one years. Lydia Knight Young raised her children in an exemplary manner. She was able to endure to the end in faith and honor. She remained active in her church duties to the very last. She had never failing courage, strong faith and she always found her way throughout hardships and suffering. She was a mother, wife and every inch a stalwart pioneer. Source for much of the above information was "Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude, page 3509, Volume IV, International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1998." |
Lydia Knight's Time in history.....
Lydia Knight's Family....nothing on earth meant more to her....
Lydia's Marriage to John R. Young
The only known document that records the date of Lydia's marriage to John R. Young is the Family Record Book of her mother, Lydia Goldthwait Knight (1812-1884). In chapter 29 of his Memoirs, John R. Young made reference to his marriage to his second wife, Lydia, but his fading memory of the event, sixty years earlier, was in error and the time given is contradicted by facts as we know them today, including contents of a letter written by his first wife, Albina on May 8, 1860 to her sister in Pleasant Grove, Utah. The Lydia Goldthwaite record gives the birth and marriage dates of all of her children. This historic record was made sometime between 1877, the year the record book was printed, and 1884, the year Lydia Goldthwait Knight died. The L.D.S. Library Catalog describes the microfilm, from which this record was copied, as deriving from a compiled (unreferenced) work authored by Lydia Knight Young, b. 1844. It is referred to as FHL US/CAN Film [673305 item 15]. The original document was filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah in 1955. The "Family Record" gives the marriage of Lydia and John R. Young as occurring on 31 January 1861 at Santaquin, Utah County, Utah Territory. The marriage was performed by Patriarch Isaac Morley. The couple was sealed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City on 3 May 1862.
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