Nanny Longstroth

This account is based largely upon a sketch of my Mother‘s Life, written in 1930 by Minerva E. Richards Knowlton (daughter of Nanny Longstroth and Franklin D. Richards), and on file at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Utah. Some editorial corrections have been made in the text, and additional material added, which is the result of recent findings. Minerva Knowlton's "history" has been used as the basis for many other family "sketches" of Nanny Longstroth’s life, including that presented by Alice Minerva Richards Tate Robinson at the October 4th, 1979 Richards Reunion. The first person wording of Minerva's sketch has been retained as much as is practicable. For additional details regarding Nanny and her progenitors see Stephen Longstroth and his fathers by George F. Tate 1,033.523 item 5) 
Nanny Longstroth Richards is the daughter of Stephen Longstroth and Ann Gill. She was born in Arncliffe, Yorkshire, England, 15th of April 1828. She was the seventh child in a family of twelve children. Her father and some of the children were baptized at Chlitheroe. Lancershire, on 4 March 1838, by Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde. However, Nanny was baptized by Thomas Smith the following year (1839). They were some of the first fruits of the missionaries' labors in a foreign land. Mother‘s family had much to endure because of this while in England. When they left there, they had to give away most of their possessions, but they did keep one feather bed for mother, she being an invalid at that time. 
The Longstroths buried five of their children in England including their two eldest daughters (Nancy and Mary). The other children were deprived of schooling. I heard my Mother say she had but six weeks in school, but she acquired a knowledge of the use of good English and spelling, and was apt at figures. She was a fine executive.
When Nanny was ten years old, she was present at the coronation of Queen Victoria of England, who was but nineteen years of age at that time.
My mother, with her family, left England early in 1842 on board the ship Hope. It took eight weeks to make the voyage from Liverpool to New Orleans, going from there up the Mississippi River to Missouri. [They resided at St. Louis and then Rockport, Missouri
for almost twenty months before moving to Nauvoo early in 1844 "in time for April Conference" (Longstroth Letters. Rockport 1 Jan 1844, and Nauvoo 26 May 1844). Nanny and Sarah lived with their parents during this period]
When seventeen years of age, Nanny was sealed to Dr. Willard Richards in the Nauvoo Temple. She was a plural wife. Following the sealing she remained with her parents for about fifteen months, and with them went again to St. Louis, Missouri after the "Battle of Nauvoo" (Sept 1846). She remained in St. Louis until the spring of 1848 when the family travelled by boat to Winter Quartets, Nebraska, and then crossed the plains to "Zion".
[The sealing took place 25 Jan 1846. However, Nanny and her sister, Sarah. had been previously married and sealed to Willard Richards, in Jan 1843 by the Prophet Joseph. It appears, however, that the marriages were not consummated until much later. Both Nanny and Sarah were almost twenty- one before they had their first babies. (Sarah’s. Willard Brigham was born 25 Jan 1847 at Winter Quarters, and Nanny's Alice Ann was born 24 Mar 1849 in Salt Lake). Nanny‘s sister. Sarah was also sealed to Willard Richards (22 Jan 1846NV) and accompanied him on the early 1846 exodus through Iowa. Whereas, Nanny stayed with her parents until they joined the emigration at Winter Quarters in May 1848.]
While mother was in St. Louis. she lived with a wealthy family who wished to adopt and educate her as they had no children, they not knowing that she was a Mormon and married. They paid her well and gave her many beautiful presents, some of which are now in existence. While in St. Louis. she earned money with which she bought linen to make a temple robe, which she brought to Utah. believing that she would never get any here. I now have the robe which I wear in the Temple and it is in good condition, although eighty two years old. [Sister Minerva Knowlton. the author, died in 1936, Her daughter. Alice Knowlton Seiler, then inherited the robe]
Mother, with her family, passed through the persecutions of Nauvoo. When the Prophet and Patriarch were on their way to Carthage jail, they drank at her father‘s well, as did also the mob. Mother was there and often spoke of the feeling of gloom which all the Saints felt.
[The well ("whell") is mentioned by Stephan in his 26 May 1844 letter to his brother, Thomas, at Settle, Yorkshire, England. Photostatic copies of the Longstroth Letters are on file at the Utah State Historical Society, in Salt Lake City. There are five of them from 1844 through 1854.]

Willard Richards was with the brethren in Carthage. Later when the mob fired on the city (Nauvoo). Mother‘s brother, William, who was six years old, brought in a cannon ball that was so hot it scorched his apron.
Mother was at the meeting where the mantle of Joseph Smith fell upon Brigham Young, and she testified that it was marvelous and so plain that all who saw it knew that Brigham Young was the man to lead the church and the Saints to the valleys of the mountains.
Patriarch John Smith, told Mother in a blessing, which he gave her in Nauvoo when she was seventeen years of age, that "prophets, sears and revelators, should proceed forth from her." This prediction was fulfilled. She was the mother of Apostle George F. Richards who was President of the Quorum of the Twelve and of the Salt Lake Temple. She was the grandmother to Apostles Stephen L. Richards and LeGrand Richards, and of Stayner Richards, who was an Assistant to the Twelve. She was also the wife of two Apostles. After the death of Willard Richards, who was also counselor to Brigham Young, she married his nephew, Franklin Dewey Richards, who was President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, at the time of his death, 9th December 1899.
Mother was twice widowed, first when twenty-six years of age. At that time. she had two daughters and one son, the baby being but seven months old when his father died. His name was Stephen Longstroth Richards, and he was the father of Apostle Stephen L. Richards, who served in the first Presidency of the Church. The daughters are: Alice Ann, (wife of Lot Smith), and Mary Asenath. (wife of Joel Grover).
Mother crossed the plains in the summer and fall of 1848, with her husband, Willard Richards, her parents and their families. On March 24, 1849, her eldest child was born in Salt Lake in a wagon on Main Street, in very cold weather.
Willard Richards died in 1854, and on the 6th of March 1857. my father. Franklin Dewey Richards, married four of his uncle Willard‘s wives, namely: Nanny Longstroth Richards. Mary Thompson Richards, Susan Bayless Richards, and Rhoda Foss Richards, thus fulfilling the wish of their first husband. and President Young‘s Counsel that they marry again to have a protector and provider. and that they might raise up a posterity to his name. I am the eldest of the three children born to Franklin D. and Nanny L. Richards, George F. and Frederick W., being my brothers.
Mother was one of the last to leave Salt Lake City to go south at the time of the Johnston Army Invasion. I was then two weeks old.

She, with her four children, (one being very sick), and three of her deceased sister, Sarah's, and one other, lived in a shanty, under the same roof, with three other families while in Provo. On her return home, they knelt and thanked the Lord for their deliverance.
In the year 1860, father moved his four families (of Willard's) to Farmington. The four wives lived on the same block, all in harmony and love. Father built a flour mill in Farmington called the "Rock Mill,“ which gave us our bread, also chicken and pig feed, which the older children carried home upon their backs. The children also hauled float wood from the pasture and brush from the mountain side. Oh! We were poor enough! Bread and molasses tasted good to us then.
After arriving in Utah, Mother made the molasses out of beets. She boiled her soap in a big brass kettle, which we owned, and I remember a huge outside “furnace” as we called it. Here we heated water for washing. Mother let me help make tallow candles, and I felt quite grown up. We spun our own yarn, carded wool, made our own quilts and rag carpets, under which fresh straw was placed every spring and fall (at house cleaning time).
Mother raised her own pork and cured it herself, using a large barrel filled with salt brine. She also smoked hams and shoulders. She colored her own yarn for clothes with indigo, madder, etc. My Mother did much of her sewing by a flickering candle light. No wonder she suffered so much with her head and eyes in later years. Mother, and her sister, Sarah, who was the mother of Sarah Ellen Richards Smith, were both wives of Willard Richards at the same time. They were very nearly the same size, small but very capable and industrious. They had one layette for their babies, and one dress to go out in, and whichever one went, used the dress (or the baby clothes), and they were happy to be so fortunate as to have one good outfit between them.
When Mother was forty-nine years old, she had a very severe and prolonged illness. She was in bed most of the time for two years, and was an invalid for several years more.
Mother raised three of her sister Sarah‘s four children after Sarah‘s death in 1858. They are Willard Brigham, Joseph Smith, and Sarah Ellen. Paulina, the youngest made her home with her Aunt Alice Longstroth Watt, and was married from there to Abraham Doremus. (Mother's Farmington home was on the southeast corner of 3rd North and 151 East and is still standing).
In May of 1886, Joel Grover died. He was the husband of Mother’s daughter, Asenath. They lived in Nephi.  Mother‘s son,George F. Richards. and his family moved from Bear River to Nephi to comfort and help Asenath during this time of trial. They were there for several months. (from Nov. 1886 to May 1887), after which they returned to Bear River. A little later, Mother went to Nephi to help her. The poor girl needed Mother more than all of us then,  so she stayed and made her home there. And when years later, Asenath moved to Salt Lake (1904), Mother came with her, and they established a home in the 27th Ward. at 867 lst Avenue. It was here that Mother died, 7th January 1911, in her eighty-third year, leaving a legacy of life well spent in the service of her family who revere her memory and look forward to the time when, if we are faithful, we will meet her again, and enjoy her company through all the eternities, please God. She had a perfect tithing record. Her last days were made comfortable and happy and she died with the hope of a glorious resurrection.