Abigail Mead McBride

• BIRTH 29 Jan 1770 Dutchess County, New York, USA
• DEATH 12 Mar 1854 (aged 84) Ogden, Weber County, Utah, USA
• BURIAL Ogden City Cemetery Ogden, Weber County, Utah, USA Show Map
• PLOT A-4-31-5W MEMORIAL ID 26392506 Photos by Holly Nye

Abigail Mead descended from a long line of devout Quakers. The William Mead and John Mead families were first known to be in Greenwich, Connecticut in about 1640. Abigail was born 29 January 1770 in Nine Partners, Dutchess County, New York, daughter of Gideon and Martha Mead and the 5th Great Granddaughter of William Mead. She was probably a very pretty girl; as a mature woman she was short and rather plump with a fair complexion. She was of a religious temperament with courage and fortitude. When she was seventeen years old she was married to Reverend Daniel McBride. Being a minister, they moved about from parish to parish and from town to town. She was the mother of nine children, seven boys and two girls, four being born at Stillwater, Albany, New York: John(5 Jan 1788), Samuel(25 Aug 1789), Daniel(19 Mar 1791),and James(Jul 1793). Five children were born at Chester, Washington, New York: Margaret(1 Jun 1795), Hyrum(5 Nov 1798), Cyrus Gideon(17 Aug 1800), Reuben(16 Jun 1803. amd Martha(17 Mar 1805). Daniel died 1 Sep 1823 and was buried in LeRoy, Genesee, New York.

In 1833 Abigail heard of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his visions from three missionary elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The family was residing in the vicinity of Villanova, Chautauqua, New York at that time and feeling the Spirit bear witness of their words, they sought more information and instruction. Evan Green(secretary to Joseph Smith), Amasa Lyman and William Cahoon were entertained during May and June in the homes of Abigail, her son Reuben and son-in-law David Crandall, husband of her oldest daughter Margaret. The entire family joined the church in June 1833.

In company with many other New York and Massachusetts citizens, they sold their thriving farms at great sacrifice and journeyed 135 miles to Kirtland,Ohio by stagecoach and canal boat. Included in the party were Maria Crandall, Newell Knight, Lydia Goldthwait, Vinson Knight, his wife Martha(Abigail's youngest daughter) and Martha's daughters: Rizpah and Adaline. They all donated liberally to the building of the City of Kirtland and the first L.D.S. Temple. The family enjoyed many wonderful spiritual manifestations given at the dedication of this House of the Lord in 1835. A son, Reuben served as a temple custodian and had been ordained a member of the Second Quorum of Seventy on 14 February 1835. In Kirtland, 08 June 1836, Abigail received her patriarchal blessing, at the age of 66, under the hands of Joseph Smith Sr., the first patriarchal of this dispensation. He promished her that she would go to Zion and enjoy good health and conferred a blessing upon her posterity.

Abigail endured the persecutions attending the 12,000 members of the Church in their migration to Nauvoo, Illinois. There her granddaughter Rizpah married Andrews S. Gibbons who afterwards became a member of the pioneer company of Brigham Young, which arrived in the Salt Lake Valley July 24th 1847. After experiencing the terrible incidents connected with the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith at Carthage, Illinois and the driving of the Saints from their Nauvoo homes, she suffered nobly the hardships of crossing the plains to the tops of the Rocky Mountains in the rugged West.
Abigail was a member of the Edward Hunter-Jacob Foutz Company, Departure: 19 June 1847, Arrival: 1 October 1847. At the age of 77 she was by seven years the oldest pioneer in her company.

When Brigham Young was making his first trip back across the plains from Salt Lake, he met Daniel Spencer's first company and camped on Green River. Three days later they met Edward Hunter's wagon on the Sweetwater. It was snowing but the weather continued mild. A feast was prepared by Apostle Taylor and Edward Hunter for Brigham Young. Yhe tables were richly laden with nature's bounties and tastefully prepared. They were set in a grove under a bowery on the banks of the river. "A rare sight," says Wilford Woodruff, "in the heart of the wilderness,to see tables well spread with the good things of life." 100 people sat down at a table. The ceremonies were concluded with a dance. An Indian attack followed. Church Historians have concluded that Abigail would have been a party to this celebration.

When Ogden was settled, she moved there to live with family until she passed away the 12th of March 1854 at the ripe old age of 84 years. Her sons and descendants were prominent in the settlement of many parts of Utah. Her mortal remains are interred in the family burial plot of Gilbert Belmap in the Ogden City Cemetery. A suitable marker and monument erected by her great-grandson, Hyrum Belnap, designates her final resting place.
(Abridged from multiple histories of Abigail Mead McBride located in the International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, Utah)
Information from Bary Gammell, 4th GGS of Abigails.

Parents
Gideon Mead 1740–1814
Martha Fisk Mead 1745–1813

Spouse
Daniel McBride 1766–1823

Children
John 1788-1860
Samuel McBride 1789–1874
Daniel McBride 1791–1865
James 1793-1839
Margaret Ann McBride Crandall 1794–1845
Hyrum 1798-1839
Cyrus Gideon McBride 1800–1883
Reuben McBride 1803–1891
Martha McBride Knight Smith Kimball 1805–1901

References

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/26392506/abigail-mcbride

GEDCOM Note

HISTORY OF ABIGAIL MEAD MCBRIDE HISTORY OF ABIGAIL MEAD MCBRIDE Flora Belnap Camp G. Weber Chapter of Utah Pioneers In peace and plenty, Abigail Mead McBride and family lived on a farm in the vicinityof Palmyra, New York. Her husband, Daniel McBride was a Campbell minister. His religion appealed to all his family as being nearest to the primitive plan of salvation as taught by Jesus Christ of anyof the creeds in his lifetime, but often he remarked to Abigail, as they returned from church, after preaching his usual Sunday sermon, "There is something lacking, I feel that I have not the Authority. If only I could say to the people, thus sayeth the Lord." Abigail Mead was born January 29, 1660 [this is the date in the document, it must be a type error] at Nine Partners, Montgomery County, New York, the daughter of Gideon Mead and his wife Martha. She was bereaved of the companionship of her husband, Sept. 1, 1823, at Stillwater, Saratoga County, New York. Their children were John, Samuel, Daniel, James, Margaret, Hyrum Cirus Gideon, Reuben and Martha. The brave widow struggled courageously to rear her little family in the fear of God. About 1829 she heard of the mysterious visions ofthe Prophet Joseph Smith and believed them. Consequently, the entire family joined the new Church of Jesus Christ shortly after its organization in 1839, when a great religious revival of all churches was taking place. In company with many New York and Massachusetts families, they sold their thriving farms at great sacrifices and journeyed 135 miles to Kirtland, Ohio. In the beautiful springtime of June, 1835 they made the trip by stagecoach and canal boat in about six days. Included in the party were Maria Crandle, Lydia Gold wait, Vinson Knight, his wife Martha, (Abigail's youngest daughter) and Martha's daughter Rizpah and Adaline Knight. They all donated liberally to the building of the City of Kirtland and the first L.D.S. Temple, now standing in a fine state of preservation. Abigail's son, Reuben McBride (The grandfather of Wells R. McBride, of the editorial staff of the present Ogden Standard-Examiner) became custodian of the Kirtland Temple. The family enjoyed many of wonderful spiritual manifestations given at the dedication of the first House of the Lord in this dispensation. Of the glorious manifestations the prophet thus writes: The Heavens were opened upon us, and I beheld the Celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof, whether in the body or out, I cannot tell. I saw the transcendent beauty of the gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which was like unto circling flames of fire; also the blazing thrown of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son. I saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being pavedwith gold... "We then invited the High Councilors of Kirtland and Zion into the room... "The visions of Heaven were opened to them also. Some of them saw the face of the Savior, and others were ministered unto by holy Angles and the spirit of prophecy and revelation was poured out in mighty power; and loud hosannas, and glory to God in the highest, saluted the Heavens, for we all communed with the Holy Host." House of Lord, pg. 117-118. The original manuscript of the patriarchal blessing given to Abigail McBride by the first Patriarch, Joseph Smith, Sr., called Father Smith, now in possessionof the Belnap family, follows: Patriarchal Blessing of Abigail McBride Abigail McBride, born in Nine Partners, Montgomery County, New York, aged 66 years on the 29th day of January "My aged sister, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the redeemer of the world, and by the power and authority of the Priesthood, I lay my hands on they head; and on the heads of they posterity, confer a blessing. Thou has had sorrow and affliction, out of which the Lord is delivering thee. He has established thy faith. Thou hast obeyed the gospel of the Savior. Thy name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Thou are of the lineage of Abraham. If thus holdest on thy way, the time will come when thou, like Job, shall see God in the flesh, standing upon the earth. "Thou shalt see Angels, and receive the communication of the Holy Ghost. Thy children shall stand in the covenant by the power of God. Thou shalt go to Zion, and be in good health. Thy mind shall be strong and rejoice in thy God. Thou shalt be a member of the Celestial world. "I seal these blessing upon thy head. I seal thee up to eternal like. Amen and Amen. Joseph Smith Sr. Kirtland, Ohio, June 8, 1836 Abigail endured the persecutions attending the 12,000 members of the Church in their migration to Nauvoo, Illinois. There her granddaughter, Rizpah Knight, married Andrew S. Gibbons, who afterwards became a member of the Pioneer Company of Brigham Young, which arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, July 24, 1847. Her granddaughter, Adaline Knight, married Gilbert Belnap, who was selected to be the first Sheriff, Attorney and Assessor and Collector of Wever [Weber] County. Her son, Reuben, married Mary Ann Anderson, and her daughter, Margaret married David Crandall before their arrival in Nauvoo. After experiencing the terrible incidentsconnected with Saints from the Nauvoo homes, she suffered nobly the hardships of crossing the plains to the tips of the Rocky Mountains, in the open rugged West. She was cared for by her own childrenand Gilbert Belnap, the husband of her granddaughter, Adaline Knight. "Some of the McBride's, including John, her son, pioneered Cache Valley; her son, Samuel, Millard county. Others went to Springville, Utah, with the Crandall's. Rueben made two trips across the plains to escort pioneer companies enroute to Utah. Then he accompanied the Millard County pioneers. Her great-grandson, Gilbert R. Belnap, recalled her assistance with his mother, Adaline Knight Belnap, and other women in bandaging the bleeding feet and frozen hands of the members of the handcart company, upon their arrival in Ogden. He described her as being a short, rather stout, fine old lady, with a square face and fair complexion. Her faith in her Maker was reaffirmed when she fully realized, after a lapse of nearly twenty years, the fulfillment of the words of Father Smith, the Patriarch, that she should go to Zion and have good health. She passed away at Ogden, Utah March 12, 1854, at the ripe old age of 84 years. Herremains were interred in the family burial lot of Gilbert Belnap in the Ogden City Cemetery. A suitable marker and monument, erected to her memory by her great-grandson, Hyrum Belnap designates her final resting place. pr

GEDCOM Source

Sons of Utah Pioneers - Card Index, 1847-1850 Sons of Utah Pioneers - Card Index, 1847-1850 From FamilySearch.org
https://search.ancestry.com/collections/6465/records/1010