Item Detail
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Carter, Hannah Knight Libby
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1786-1867
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MSS SC 184
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Biography
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Hannah was born in Scarborough, Maine, on October 9, 1786, the fourth of eleven children born to Captain Zebulon Libby (b. 1757, d.1836) and Lydia Andrews (d. 1838). Lydia was the daughter of Deacon Amos Andrews and Ann Seavey. Hannah's parents were married October 19, 1780. Hannah married John Carter on March 2, 1805, in Scarborough, Maine. While living in Scarborough Hannah gave birth to her first three children. In October of 1810, Hannah and her family moved to a farm in Newry, Maine. Together Hannah and John had eleven children: Dominicus, Almira, Hannah, William Furlsbury, Phillip Libby, John Harrison, John Carter Jr., Eliza Ann, Richard, Mary Jane and Rufas. The first six children listed joined the LDS Church, while Almira, Mary Ann and Phillip did not join the church. Only nine of the children grew to maturity. John Harrison and Rufas both died at a very young age. Hannah's home was a Methodist home but in 1834, Mormon Elders brought the family the gospel. It is likely that Hannah was baptized in June of 1834. With her family, she left Maine in 1836 in order to join the Saints in Kirtland, Ohio. The next year John Boynton, who had first brought the gospel to her family and who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, apostatized from the church and became one of its bitterest opponents. The persecution became so intense that the family left Kirtland for Far West, Missouri. Hannah died in November of 1867.
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The history is clear, insightful and well-written, consisting of seven typed pages. The author of the history is unknown. However, a letter from Wilford A. Payne to Bro. LeGrand Baker, dated December 8, 1975 accompanies the history. In his letter Wilford Payne explains that the history is a compilation of information from various family members. The history states that Hannah and some of her children joined the LDS Church in 1834, while living in Newry, Oxford County, Maine. Two years later, in 1836, they left Maine to settle in Kirtland. While living in Nauvoo Hannah and her husband, who had not joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints separated. In 1844, Hannah received a patriarchal blessing, which is contained in the history. In 1846, Hannah was sealed to Isaac Morley. The history contains interesting personal experiences and details on early Church history in Kirtland Camp, Far West and Nauvoo, particularly the persecutions experienced by early church members. Hannah and those of her children who had joined the church traveled with other church members to Council Bluffs. From Council Bluffs, Hannah and her family made the trek to Utah and settled in Provo. They crossed the plains in 1852, and arrived in Salt Lake City on June 20, 1851. The history contains biographical information for Hannah's sons and daughters plus interesting and insightful accounts of events that occurred in their lives. The history details the families move to Utah, the church service of many of Hannah's sons and gives a wonderful account of Hannah and her personality, describing her as 'faithful in the day of trial'.
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