Fannie Smith Spilsbury

Fanny Smith Spilsbury (1823-1903)

Frankie Estella Spilsbury Harris' Grandmother

Fanny Smith Spilsbury was full of faith and had a deep abiding love for the gospel. She was born Christmas Day in 1823, in Herefordshire, England. Twenty miles away and nine months prior to her birth her future husband George Spilsbury was born in Worcestershire, England. Fannie was one of the five children of Richard and Tabithia Bridges Smith, who were members of the Church of England. They had enough of this world’s goods that Fanny received a good education. She was also well trained in other arts and skills, such as dressmaking, millinery, needle work and cooking; she was also an excellent business woman.

In her late teens she met George Spilsbury who had accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and filled a mission to Wales. He invited her to go with him to some of their meetings. She was so impressed with the beauties of the gospel that she wanted to learn more. Fanny’s mother had recently passed away and her father was bitterly opposed to her having anything to do with terrible, new fangled religion. However, she knew this was the truth, and she continued to study and learn. Her boyfriend, George Spilsbury, was an excellent teacher and she was finally baptized. This greatly angered her father and he practically disowned her.

She was baptized at night and the ice had to be broken to have this done and she walked home in these wet clothes and got into bed with out her Father knowing it.  

  Plans were being made for a group of newly converted saints to sail for America to be with the body of the saints there. Shortly before they left, George and Fanny were married and they booked a passage on the ship. Fanny was barely nineteen years old and George not quite twenty. The ship left England, home, family and all that life held dear to this young couple—except each other, and the gospel.

Fanny’s father had tried everything possible to get her to give up the wild idea, he even threatened to cut her off from any inheritance. After all of his attempts to get her to change her mind, just as they were about to leave, he made one more attempt, for all other had failed. In March of 1843 Fanny’s father came to the wharf and gave Fanny a little gold locket. He told her to keep it until she was sorry for her wild adventure and was ready to come home, then, she was simply to send him the locket and he would send for her. She embraced him warmly and then said bravely, “Thank you dear father, but I will never be sorry.” And of course she never was, even though she was called to endure extreme sufferings, persecutions, and dire want.

By the time they landed in New Orleans, after six weeks of stormy sailing, all of their money was gone. Fanny had to sell some of her lovely clothing to get money to buy food and passage on the steamboat up the Mississippi River. They then had to stop off in St. Louis to get work so they could earn enough money to finish the trip. After they joined with the Saints in Nauvoo, George being an excellent bricklayer and mason went to work on the Nauvoo temple. Fanny did her part at home helping with the work along the other sisters.

They loved to tell their family of their great joy and happiness, when they attended their fist meeting in the half finished Nauvoo where they sat on planks laid on blocks of wood. All of their sorrows and sufferings of leaving home were forgotten the first time they saw the Prophet Joseph Smith, a man who had seen and talked with God and his son Jesus Christ. Fanny and George felt tremendously honored and their hearts were filled with joy and gratitude.

During the next few years, Fanny lost their first four little girls who were buried along the way—in Nauvoo and Winter Quarters.   She was one who never murmured at the hardships and trials she passed through.   They were there when Joseph Smith was killed.   They were driven with the saints from Nauvoo.   They were at the dedication of the Nauvoo Temple and her husband helped quarry stone and build the Nauvoo house.

She was expecting her fifth baby when they were finally ready to start across the plains in ox-drawn wagons. One hot day on August 5, 1850 the wagons were stopped long enough for this little stranger to arrive and then they were on their way again. The company had been without water for several days and as they approached the Platte River the oxen were so lean that their side almost touched for want of a drink. They seemed to smell the water and picked up the pace until George was hardly able to keep up with them. The oxen then left the road and made for the river, leaping down the bank and into the river to quench their maddening thirst. As the wagon went over the bank it turned over and the mother and babe were thrown into the water! By this time, George and some other men of the company had rushed to the rescue and helped them out of the water. Bishop Edward Hunter was the one that snatched the baby from the muddy river. Holding it up by its feet, so the water could run out of its mouth, he gave it a smart slap on the seat then shouted for men to come and bless the baby. “Give it the name of Alma, for the Prophet in the Book of Mormon,” Fanny called out weakly. “And to that we will add Platte, for this river,” announced Bishop Hunter, and so the baby was blessed Alma Platte Spilsbury.

The little family arrived in Salt Lake in September of 1850, and lived there for nine years. Then they moved south to Draper. They were among those called to help settle Utah’s Dixie. There they had a constant warfare with floods, droughts, and Native Americans. They lived in several little towns but finally settled in Toquerville where they spent the remainder of their days. Fanny and George had seven more children, five of which they raised, three sons and two daughters. They also raised a Native American orphan child whose tribe had abandoned him. He lived with then all his life.

In addition to making dresses hats, and other articles for her family and others, Fanny kept the Telegraph and Post Offices, as well as an open house for weary travelers. She was an ardent church worker who was connected with the Relief Society almost from its beginning. Everyone knew and loved her. She and George received their endowments in the Nauvoo temple on January 12, 1846 and were sealed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake in July of 1853, where all of their children were sealed to them.

She was always ready and willing to give a helping hand to others not so fortunate.   She was a friend to young people and many went to her for advice about their love affairs for she seemed to understand.

She always told the story of the first meeting held to decide who was to lead the Church.   She said everyone knew it was to be Brigham Young for his voice sounded as the Prophet Joseph Smith’s and really she said he seemed to look like him.

Fanny was ill with cholera, they thought she was dead and were preparing to bury her when her child was born and this saved her life.   She had been in a coma.

She passed on to her daughters the fine qualities of beauty, art, love and romance.   She left a monument of a successful life well spent.   She stood the test of being drive from her home for religion.

Fanny died at the age of 80 in her beloved Utah’s Dixie. Shortly before she passed away one of her granddaughters, knowing the story of the gold locket, asked her if she had ever been sorry. Proudly showing this to her granddaughter, she said “No, no, my dear, I have never been sorry. I have had a good life and have never regretted the step I took so long ago.” 

From her own story:

I was raised in England, my father was a well to do squire.  The household was taken care of by a housekeeper, who trained me in the gentle art of beauty, culture and romance.  I was taught serving and fine embroidery work.  I was baptized 23 January 1842 and confirmed by my future husband George Spilsbury.  I left England under protest by my father, who gave me a locket and ask me to send it to him, if I ever wanted to return.

We suffered persecution and tragedy.  I lived in the back of a wagon and made a home out of a crude log cabin.  I gave my dishes for the Nauvoo Temple and traded my fine clothes for pots and pans.  We had $5.00, that I had earned on ship serving to buy provisions.

The first time I saw Joseph Smith I knew him, although I had never seen a picture of him.  I picked him out of a crowd.  He spent many hours in our home.  Hyrum Smith gave me a blessing.

We had 13 children and only raised five of them.  I had to learn to make quilts of which I made many.  I spent much time with the young people of Toquerville.  I was never sorry.  And I never wanted to return the locket my father gave me.

From a form filled out at Toquerville, December 18, 1915 by David Spilsbury:

Height:  5 ft. 4 in.  Weight: 140 lbs.  Complexion: Brunette  Color of Hair:  dark brown

First Counselor in the Relief Society of Toquerville Ward

Baptized 23 Jan 1842 by George Spilsbury

Mother was a Milliner and Dress maker by occupation.  She was prominent in all female and Relief Society work but did not let the left hand know what the right hand was giving.  She was kind, generous and noble spirited.  Her motto was "Waste not want not."  She often told me "If you have a surplus give to the poor but don't waste."  She was often seen by night distributing her gifts to the needy.  The first book she taught me to read was the Bible then the faith promoting Series, The Lives of our Leaders etc.  I thank her for those early impressions which made a lasting impression upon my heart. She was a very industrious woman never idle.  In the days of Silver Reef she took Boarders and sent me to the U of U in Salt Lake and later (1880-2) upon my mission to England. By overwork and worry her nervous system gave way she had a paraletic stroke and was an invalid for 10 years before her death.  To be thus helpful was a great trail to Mother for she was high spirited and independent woman.  She entertained Pres. Young and party in her little Dug out at Grafton (near Rockville).  She obeyed every principle of the gospel and was true to the end.  The statements I made in regard to father would also apply to mother from the time they were married Sept 5, 1842.  The both left all for the gospel's sake.

Patriarchal Blessing of Fanny Spilsbury Sister Fanny I lay my hands upon thy head, & bless thee in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, inasmuch as thou hast obeyed the gospel, & left thy native land, in obedience to the commandments of the Lord to gain an inheritance among the saints, thou shalt have one & possess it again in eternity,   for thou art of the house of Joseph, & a lawful heir to the priesthood with all the blessings & benefits, which are sealed upon thy companion, for thou shalt partake with him in all his blessings and in his endowment, his honors, powers, &privileges, even to be able to do miracles, to heal the sick in thy house, and to keep the destroyer from thy dwelling; thou shalt be blest with health, peace & plenty, thy children shall grow up about thee like olive plants, no good thing shall be withheld from thee; shall be able to accomplish every purpose of thy heart; live to see the closing scene of this generation & enjoy all the blessings of the Redeemer’s kingdom to all eternity in common with thy companion & children; inasmuch as thou art patient & abide in the truth these words shall not fail, evenso, Amen.  A Blessing by John Smith, Patriarch, upon the head of Fanny Spilsbury, daughter of Richard & Elizabeth Smith, born December 1825.   Herefordshire, England (L.D.S. Church Historian’s Office, Patriarchal Blessings, Volume 9, Page 386)

Patriarchal Blessing of Fanny Smith Spilsbury

Sister Fanny, I lay my hands upon your head, in the name of Jesus and seal upon you a blessing, and bless you according to the mind of the spirit, as it shall indite the matter.   Behold, I say unto you Fanny, thou shalt be blessed even as thy husband, as touching the blessings of the priesthood and promised possessions, as also the key of knowledge, wherein you shall be made wise, and be prepared to understand the times and seasons, of times of refreshments, and the coming of the Son of Man.   Nevertheless your lineage is not the same lineage with your husband, but your inheritance shall be with his inheritance, that all things may be had in common with him, even in him whose inheritance is in the lineage of Levi.   And unto the blessings of that inheritance, which shall be in the Mount called Zion, for in Zion, shall the sons of Moses and Aaron be purified, and enter in through the gate unto the city and that is the reward, and your inheritance laid up for you, in the city of Jerusalem and a reward and blessing for you to receive for your pilgrimage and leaving your native country, the domicile of your fathers, in obedience to the commandments God had given to His people and to those who are wanderers and pilgrims in a strange land, in the midst of strangers, seeking a house and habitation, whose builder and maker, is God.   Therefore, be steadfast and you shall be blessed spiritually and temporally, even in all things in common with your husband, and your name shall be perpetuated and had in honor unto the latest generation and these blessings I seal upon your head, even so Amen.   

Nauvoo, 19 November 1843

A Patriarchal blessing of Fanny Smith Spilsbury, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth (Tabitha Bridges) Smith born in Parish of Cradley, Herefordshire, England, born 1 November 1823 (25 December 1823).

(copied from typed copy included in biography of George Spilsbury in possession of Frankie Estella Spilsbury Harris)

(L.D. S. Church Historian’s Office, Patriarchal Blessings, Volume 41)