Lydia Carter

Lydia Smith was Dominicus Carter's first wife - the wife of his youth. After she and her husband joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they removed to Kirtland, Ohio. A few years later she joined with her husband in the "Kirtland Camp" - the large wagon train that in 1838 made its way from Kirtland to Missouri. While traveling, they lost their two-year- old daughter Sarah Emily, and buried her on the trail.

The book "Carter Pioneers of Provo Utah" picks up the story: "The camp arrived at their destination on 4 [October]. Persecution and massacres were a frequent occurrence, and mobs preyed on the community. During this time Lydia, wife of Dominicus Carter, was confined. When the baby was but five days old, she was ordered by a mob with blackened faces to vacate her home by midnight, as they were going to burn it. she went into a nearby woods with her children and remained there throughout the night. There was a cold heavy rainfall and as a result of this exposure so soon after the birth of her baby she took cold and passed away shortly after on 23 Oct. Her children were scattered among the relatives." [The only problem with this narrative is that there is no record of a child being born to Lydia in October of 1838, and it had been less than eight months since the reported birth of daughter Lydia Ann in February 1838.]

Lydia Smith Carter was buried in the Far West Burial Ground. On the day of her death "the citizens of Ray county... appealed to the governor of the state, to give the people of Upper Missouri protection from the fearful body of thieves and robbers" (the Mormons). Four days later Governor Boggs issued his extermination order.

Daughter of Johnathan Smith & Lydia Brown.

Dominicus and Lydia Smith Carter had six children together: Arlytia Long, Lucinda McKenney, Barret (who died young), Sidney Rigdon, Sarah Emily, and Lydia Ann.

Lydia Carter died from exposure due to mob action in Missouri. A group of men with blackened faces ordered her from her home by midnight, saying they were going to burn the home. She fled into the nearby woods spending the night in the cold with her 5 children. After her death her children *(8 mo. to 9 years) were scattered among relatives.

This information was obtained from a Carter History written by Betty Carter. She stated in this history that the story was taken from the book "Birth of Kanosh." by Leavitt Christensen.