Item Detail
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Tracy, Nancy Naomi Alexander
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1816-1902
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MSS SC 918
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1 fd. containing photocopied transcript of Nancy N. Tracy's autobiography entitled, A Short Sketch of the Life and Travels of Nancy N. Tracy.
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Nancy N. Tracy was born in Henderson, New York on May 14, 1816, to Aaron and Betsey Alexander. Her father died when Nancy was four years old leaving her mother to care for a farm and four small children. Financial difficulties led to the decision that Nancy be raised in her Grandfather's home in Herkimer County, 100 miles from her mother. She lived with relatives until the age of fifteen when she decided she could no longer bear the idea of separation. from her mother. She moved back to Henderson, New York, where she became acquainted with Moses Tracy. On July 15, 1832, Nancy and Moses were married. The next spring Mormon missionaries entered the area and Nancy attended a sermon. Feeling the truth of the speaker's words, Nancy decided to investigate. Despite opposition from family and friends, Nancy and her husband were baptized on May 10, 1834. In the spring of 1835, Nancy and Moses followed church leadership advice and became part of the gathering of Saints to Zion, which was then Kirtland, Ohio. When the Saints were driven out by anti-Mormon mobs, Nancy and her family moved to Far West, Missouri. There, Moses became involved in several skirmishes between Mormons and mobocrats. The U.S. army was called in and although there were no legal reasons for attacking the Mormons, again they were driven out of the county. Finally, Moses and Nancy took part in the exodus of Mormons out West. Along the trail, Nancy buried three of her six children who died of disease. On September 15, 1850, Nancy and her family came into Salt Lake City, Utah. They soon moved to settle the area around the Ogden river. On August 25, 1858, Moses Tracy died leaving Nancy to raise the family and sustain a farm herself. In April of 1860, Nancy married her husband's brother (no name mentioned in record).
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Nancy N. Tracy 's autobiography is written on 29 photocopied transcribed pages. The events of Nancy's life are classic of the very early Mormon pioneer wife. Because of her connections with President Joseph Smith (her husband Moses lent Joseph money), Nancy's narrative details some well known events in traditional Mormon history. Her story is emotionally charged with devotion and belief in religious sacrifice. Nancy's writing closely resembles the syntax and style of the Bible and reflects the frontier education of the time. Faith. Trek. Trials. Persecution
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1905-