MARY BROWN PULSIPHER

1799-1886

[Mary Brown Pulsipher, born 2 March 1799 at Kent, Litchfield, Connecticut. Married Zera Pulsipher in Pennsylvania in 1815. Died in May 1886 at Hebron near Enterprise, Utah. Her father was John Brown who was born 25 February 1770. Her mother was Sarah Fairchild, born 06 Mar 1771. Mary Brown arrived in Salt Lake City 22 September 1848.]

My Grandfather and Grandmother Brown I knew little about. They died when my father was quite young. They had three sons, Joseph, John and Jonathan.

My Grandfather and Grandmother Fairchild I well remember. Grandmother died in Connecticut when I was four years old. Grandfather then went to Pennsylvania and died there.

(Probably some of the history left out here because the children below are children of her Fairchild great grandparents, Stephen and Eunice. Their children’s names are Ezra, Abraham, Levi, Agur, Stephen, Eunice, Samuel, Sherman and Sarah.)

I think they had five sons and two daughters. The names that I can remember are Samuel, Sherman, Stephen, Eunice, and Sarah. Grandfather’s name was Stephen. Grandmother was Eunice.

My father, John Brown was born 25 February 1770. His children were:

Judith 02 Nov 1793 Conn.

Eunice 04 Aug 1794 Conn.

John 24 Aug 1795 Conn.

Mary Ann 02 Mar 1799 Conn.

Thirsa 11 Jul 1802 Conn.

Sally 27 Feb 1805 Conn.

Catherine 13 Aug 1808 Penn.

Hyrum abt. 1809 Penn.

Susan abt. 1810 Penn.

Loring G. 17 Apr 1811 Conn.

Infant abt. 1812

My father moved from Connecticut to Pennsylvania when I was six years old. My father’s home was a home for Methodist preachers and other preachers when they came. I joined the Methodist Church when I was thirteen years old. I lived in Pennsylvania until I was married in 1815 to Zera Pulsipher. My children are:

Mary Ann 30 May 1816 Penn.

Almira 08 Sep 1817 Penn.

Nelson 28 Mar 1820 Penn.

Mariah 11 Jun 1822 Penn.

Sarah 02 Nov 1824 New York

John 17 Jul 1827 New York

Charles 20 Apr 1830 New York

Mary Ann 20 Nov 1833 Ohio

William 21 Jan 1838 Ohio

Eliza Jane 26 Jul 1840 Illinois

Fidelia 13 Oct 1842 Illinois

We lived in Pennsylvania seven years. Did a great deal of hard work there; then left and moved to New York State in the town of Spafford, Onondaga County, where we heard the gospel preached for the first time by the Latter Day Saints. We went forth and were baptized in the year 1832 by Jared Carter. He baptized about 20 in that place, then ordained my husband, Zera Pulsipher, and left him to preside over the church.

He baptized more. We stayed there about two years then moved twenty miles to Fabius where we lived with a Samuel Newcomb for one and one half years. Then we all went to Kirtland, Ohio together. We stayed there four years. Zera was ordained there as one of the First Seven Presidents by the hands of Joseph Smith, the Prophet. He helped build the temple. He took out his endowments in the temple, and then we were driven from that place with the saints. We started on July 6, 1838 with a large camp for Missouri. We all got there in the fall and went to Daviess County. My husband was one of the Council that led that camp. We stayed in that place one month. Then we were driven from there by the mob. Then we went to Far West (Caldwell County) and stayed there through the winter. We started in March for Illinois. We stopped twenty-five miles from Nauvoo in Deer Creek Woods. The winter we were in the Far West part of Missouri we had to part with good old Mother Pulsipher. She lay sick one week and died. The day before she died she lay looking up. I said, "Mother, what do you see?" She said, "Oh, don’t you see the light?" I looked up. I could see nothing. The next day I saw it over her head. She said, "That is a light to light me through the dark valley of death." Then she fell asleep without a struggle or groan. I think she was 85 years old.

We stayed in Deer Creek Woods nearly two years. Then the First Presidency had gotten out of prison and out of Missouri. The Saints had begun to settle "Nauvoo." They sent for us to move there. We went there and stayed, I think five years. My youngest child, Fidelia, was born there. She was a very smart promising child, but we could only keep her four years and three months. We buried her there. We helped build the temple there, got our endowments in it, then started with the rest of the Church west to find some place where we could live in peace. We were two years, not forty, in going to Salt Lake. We helped cultivate the bare desert and make it bloom like the rose. We helped build the temple. My husband was one of the City Council most of the time we were there.

Then we were all called to go South three hundred miles and help cultivate another barren desert. We lived in this place ten years, Hebron (near Enterprise, Utah).

By request, I write a little more history and experience. Eight years have passed away since I wrote the little sketch. I am still here. I will begin my first experience in the Methodist Church. My parents taught me to be honest, industrious and to keep the Sabbath day holy. They were very strict Methodists.

When I was thirteen years old I thought I ought to join the Methodist Church. It was the only church I knew about. The preachers came every week to preach at Father’s house. I told him I wanted to join the church and he said I could. I did not know that they would call on me to relate a great experience when I was converted. But I could not have told them. All they did was put my name on the class paper for six months trial. When six months was up the preacher said, "Here is Sister Mary. She is a good faithful worthy sister. I motion that she be taken in full fellowship." I was voted in. Perhaps a year passed and not a word was said about baptism. I said to the preachers, "Do you believe baptism to be a duty for us to obey?" He said, "Baptism was not a saving ordinance, it is just to answer a good conscience." I said, "I see by reading the New Testament, I consider it a duty, a command." He said, "What say?" I said, "There was only one way that looked to be right, to be immersed and buried in the water," He said, "The Savior set the example and he was not immersed, he went into the water and knelt down and had some water poured on his head." He said he had seen it in history.

We went to the water. He sang and prayed then took me by the hand and led me to the water, saying, "Step in and kneel." I did. He dipped a little water, said the ceremony and pored it on my head, while he stood on the bank, did not wet his feet. I thought if baptism was to answer a good conscience, I was not satisfied. It looked like mockery to me, but I had done my duty.

I wrote this to let my children see the darkness and ignorance the world was then in. Surely the Prophet could say darkness and sin had covered the earth and gross darkness the people. I rejoice that we live in a day that the true light and true gospel are shining.

I think I was in the Methodist Church until about age 20 before I heard the true gospel. We happened to see the Book of Mormon. We borrowed and read it and believe it. But did not know anything more about it. We were very anxious to know more about it.

It was not long before a Mormon preacher came. We had a great many questions to ask. He told us how the book was found and translated. He said baptism by immersion was the only right way. It was for the remission of sin. I thought that looked right. In a short time we were ready to be baptized. I wanted to be at the first opportunity, but satan thought he would hinder it. The night before baptism I was taken very lame with rheumatism or something. I was so sick I could not get around much as they were fixing to go. Brother Carter said to me, "Sister Pulsipher, if you will do your duty you shall be healed." I took a cane and hobbled to the water and went in. It was a very cold day but I came well. I left my cane and went away.

I was very ignorant. I had not heard anything about being confirmed or receiving the Holy Ghost. The next evening I went to meeting and the six that were baptized were there. When he put his hands on my head he said, "Sister Pulsipher by the authority of the Holy Priesthood and in the name of Jesus Christ I lay my hands on your head to bless you and to confirm you a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. I say unto you ‘receive the Holy Ghost’. He promised great blessings if I would be faithful. The spirit of the Lord was there. We sang, prayed and praised God together.

It was not long before the news went around that Brother and Sister Pulsipher were Mormons. Some would not believe it until they came to see us. We had plenty of visitors. Some came to try to convince us that it was all a delusion. They thought they could reclaim us but went away disconsolate. Others came to inquire. They said if we had something better they want to know it. They would be baptized and go home rejoicing.

I will mention one that came to see me. Joseph (Joe) Chidester. He lived four miles from me. He was going to move away but could not go without seeing me. I had belonged to the same church he did. He was a preacher. He said I was the last one he thought of being led away with such heresy and delusions as he thought it was. "Well," I said "if this is what the world calls heresy, so worship my God. I know in what I believe." He said, "I think in about six months you wil see your error. I think Mormonism will be all down flat in that time." I said, "Joseph, I haven’t the lest idea that it will. It will stand, but if it does come down I could never go to the Methodist or another church that I know of. It would be going right into darkness." He said, "I see I cannot convince you, but I have done my duty." He cried and bid me farewell. I said, "I thank you for the kind feeling you have for me. Do not worry about me." I never saw him after that. He moved away, lived a few years and died very suddenly with heart disease. He had an appointment to preach the date he was buried. His wife, my sister Thirsa, died soon after.

I think they have heard the gospel preached before this time. Zera and Joseph were great friends. He had not read the Book of Mormon. If they would hear and heed without prejudice, there would not be half so many among heresy delusions and false prophets.

Well I began to gather with the church, went to Kirtland there had my blessing from the first Patriarch in this church and that I would be the means of saving and redeeming them. I believe every word, but I’d not understood how it would come to pass. I never had heard nor thought of being baptized for the dead. He said that I had left all for the gospel. I should have a hundred fold in this world and the world to come, life everlasting, with many more good blessings if I would be faithful.

I am almost 81 years old, have lived and enjoyed myself well with my children a long time. I expect the time will come when I must leave them. I have watched over them, tried to comfort and instruct them right. I say that they may live in peace, be united and keep all the commandments of God. If riches increase, set not your heart on them, but lay treasures in Heaven. It is the only safe place that we can lay up riches.

I left all my friends but my own family. Father Smith, the first Patriarch in the Church, laid his hands on my head and blessed me. He said I should have my friends in this church, would stand on Mt. Zion, help save and redeem them. He said I had left all to obey the gospel and that I should in this world have a hundred fold. That is fulfilling very fast. I have 56 grandchildren. So, you see there is upward of a hundred fold now and increasing at a wonderful rate. I beg you all, the leaders and sisters of Relief Society to be faithful, do all the good you can, be united, put your faith in God and you need not have any fear.

I would like to have my children live near together to help and comfort one another.

May God bless you all

Mary Brown Pulsipher

Hebron, Utah March 1886

I, John, take the liberty to write a little in this book as Mother passed away from mortal life. She died on 07 May 1886. In the midst of friends and about as near as mortals ever get. So I record a little more of her history in this book.

As she lived to such advanced age, her children all desired her to give up housekeeping and live with some of us, then we would know if she needed anything and could help her so much better than when she was alone in her little house. She did close her house and had a good time. She went to St. George and visited her daughters, Sarah and Eliza, and their children and friends for several months. She then returned to Hebron for about two years.

Truly we did have an enjoyable time talking of early life, incidents of history in Conneticut and in the USA and of the Restoration of the Gospel and the rise of the Church in this age of the world. When she died we buried her by the side of Father in Herbon Cemetery.

Here are some of Mother’s own loose papers that I will record in this book:

March 2, 1879 When I went to Relief Society Meeting I expected to see ten or twelve sisters and three or four brothers there. The Bishop told me he was going. When I opened the door the first thing I saw about every family in town there. I was so surprised it almost overcame me. I said, "What does all this mean? I came to a meeting but it looks like a feast." Then I took my seat. The Bishop then arose and said, "This is in honor of Mother Pulsipher. This is her 80th birthday." I then began to cry and was so overcome. The food was then blessed and all had enough. I was then called on to preside over the meeting.

After singing I asked my oldest son, John, to open the meeting with prayer and another hymn was sung. Then I walked on to the stand and said, "I do not know as I can say much but I think these people can keep a secret. For I knew nothing of this feast until I was right here and opened the door. I feel very unworthy to have such honor and respect shown me. I thank you all. I ask my Heavenly Father to bless you all. I suppose I am the oldest person here. I am 80 years old today. I have been in the church over 47 years, have passed through persecutions, mobbings, and drivings with the Saints the days of Kirtland, and I rejoice that I am worthy to have a name and place with these people rejoicing."

Note from John: These are a few lines Mother wrote on 16 October 1883 before going to St. George to live awhile.

MARY BROWN’S FAREWELL ADDRESS TO HEBRON: I have been in Hebron from the beginning. I located with my boys as they were herding cattle at Shoal Creek when the main part of this county was a desert and sage plain. I have worked hard to make this a beautiful happy home. With the help of my boys, built the first house out of the fort. I have lived in it about 15 years, enjoyed myself wonderfully well in it. But the time draws near when I expect to find any place I like as well. If I die away from here I want to be brought back and buried here with my friends that are waiting for me behind the veil. I have been in this church 52 years, bless the people. Many have passed through persecutions with the Saints but never felt to complain, but that all would be well.

I pray my Heavenly Father to bless the people of Hebron that they may live humble, be united and keep the commandments of God. Lord bless the land, the water, the cattle, and all. May it be a healthy delightful place. I bid you all farewell.

Farewell dear Hebron, we love so well

Farewell dear Saints that in it dwell

May you still be true,

Keep covenants well

That we may all in Glory dwell.