 1818 - 1913 (95 years) Submit Photo / Document
Has 2 ancestors and 10 descendants in this family tree.
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| Name |
Mary Elizabeth Rollins |
| Birth |
9 Apr 1818 |
Lima, Livingston, New York, United States  |
| Gender |
Female |
| Initiatory (LDS) |
17 Jan 1846 |
NAUVO |
| FamilySearch ID |
KWV9-HG6 |
| Death |
17 Dec 1913 |
Minersville, Beaver, Utah, United States |
| Burial |
19 Dec 1913 |
Minersville Cemetery, Beaver, Utah, United States |
| Headstones |
 Submit Headstone Photo |
| Person ID |
I87847 |
mytree |
| Last Modified |
25 Feb 2024 |
| Father |
John Porter Rollins, b. 28 Apr 1789, Dublin, Cheshire, New Hampshire, United States d. 24 Jan 1822, Lake Ontario, Lima, New York, United States (Age 32 years) |
| Mother |
Keziah Katurah Van Benthuysen, b. 15 May 1796, Albany, Albany, New York, United States d. 24 Jan 1878, Horse Shoe Bend, Arizona, United States (Age 81 years) |
| Marriage |
1814 |
Lima, Livingston, New York, United States |
| Family ID |
F29643 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family 1 |
Adam Lightner, b. 14 Apr 1810, Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States d. 30 Aug 1885, Minersville, Beaver, Utah, United States (Age 75 years) |
| Marriage |
11 Aug 1835 |
Liberty, Clay, Missouri, United States |
| Children |
| | 1. Miles Henry Lightner, b. 18 Jun 1836, Far West, Caldwell, Missouri, United States d. 20 Sep 1847, St. Croix Falls, Polk, Wisconsin, United States (Age 11 years) |
| | 2. Caroline Keziah Lightner, b. 18 Oct 1840, Des Moines, Polk, Iowa, United States d. 22 Dec 1910, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States (Age 70 years) |
| | 3. George Algernon Lightner, b. 22 Mar 1842, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States d. 1842 |
| | 4. Florentine Mathias Lightner, b. 1843, Pontoosuc Township, Hancock, Illinois, United States d. 20 Sep 1847, St. Croix Falls, Polk, Wisconsin, United States (Age 4 years) |
| | 5. John Horace Gilbert Lightner, b. 9 Feb 1847, Galena, Jo Daviess, Illinois, United States d. 29 Nov 1923, Minersville, Beaver, Utah, United States (Age 76 years) |
| | 6. Elizabeth Lightner, b. 3 Apr 1849, Hudson, St. Croix, Wisconsin, United States d. 26 Jan 1927, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States (Age 77 years) |
| | 7. Mary Rollins Lightner, b. 9 Apr 1851, Hudson, St. Croix, Wisconsin, United States d. 25 Dec 1928, Minersville, Beaver, Utah, United States (Age 77 years) |
| | 8. Algernon Sidney Lightner, b. 25 Mar 1853, Hudson, St. Croix, Wisconsin, United States d. 10 Nov 1853 (Age 0 years) |
| | 9. Charles Washington Lightner, b. 17 Mar 1857, Washington, Minnesota, United States d. 21 Oct 1922, Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States (Age 65 years) |
| | 10. Adam Lightner, b. 28 Oct 1861, Minnesota City, Winona, Minnesota, United States d. 21 Sep 1890, Panaca, Lincoln, Nevada, United States (Age 28 years) |
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| Family ID |
F29641 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
5 May 2024 |
| Family 2 |
Joseph Smith, Jr, b. 23 Dec 1805, Sharon, Windsor, Vermont, United States d. 27 Jun 1844, Carthage, Hancock, Illinois, United States (Age 38 years) |
| Marriage |
17 Jan 1842 |
Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States |
| Family ID |
F29642 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
5 May 2024 |
| Family 3 |
Brigham Young, b. 1 Jun 1801, Whitingham, Windham, Vermont, United States d. 29 Aug 1877, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 76 years) |
| Marriage |
22 May 1845 |
Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States |
| Family ID |
F29362 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified |
5 May 2024 |
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| Event Map |
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 | Birth - 9 Apr 1818 - Lima, Livingston, New York, United States |
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 | Marriage - 11 Aug 1835 - Liberty, Clay, Missouri, United States |
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 | Marriage - 17 Jan 1842 - Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States |
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| Marriage - 22 May 1845 - Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States |
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 | Initiatory (LDS) - 17 Jan 1846 - NAUVO |
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 | Death - 17 Dec 1913 - Minersville, Beaver, Utah, United States |
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 | Burial - 19 Dec 1913 - Minersville Cemetery, Beaver, Utah, United States |
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| Notes |
- Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner bore a powerful testimony of the Proph e t Joseph Smith to a group of young men at Brigham Young University on A pr il 14, 1905. Mary was born on April 9, 1818 in Lima, Livingston, New Y or k to Keziah Keturah Van Benthuysen and John D. Rollins. According to h e r autobiography:
When I was ten years old, we moved to Kirtland, Ohio, and lived in a hou s e belonging to Algernon Sidney Gilbert, mother’s sister’s husband. We r em ained there two years, when we heard of the plates of the Book of Morm on , being found by Joseph Smith. Soon the news was confirmed by the appe ara nce of Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer, and Ziba Peterson, with the glo riou s news of the restoration of the Gospel through the Prophet Joseph S mith . They bore a powerful testimony, by the Holy Spirit, of the truth o f th e great work they were engaged in; and which they were commissione d by th e Father to present to all the world.
Quite a number of the residents of Kirtland accepted baptism. Mother a n d myself also, in the month of October, 1830. A branch of the Church w a s organized, and Father Morley was ordained an elder to preside over i t . He owned a large farm, about a mile from Kirtland, and some three o r fo ur families went there to live, and meetings were held there. A goo d spir it and one of union prevailed among the brethren for some time. Af ter Oli ver Cowdery and his brethren left there for Missouri on their mis sion t o the Lamanites, a wrong spirit crept into our midst, and a few we re le d away by it. About this time, John Whitmer came and brought a Boo k of Mo rmon. There was a meeting that evening, and we learned that Broth er Morle y had the Book in his possession the only one in that part of th e country . I went to his house just before the meeting was to commence , and aske d to see the book; Brother Morley put it in my hand, as I look ed at it , I felt such a desire to read it, that I could not refrain fro m asking h im to let me take it home and read it, while he attended meeti ng. He sai d it would be too late for me to take it back after meeting, a nd anothe r thing, he had hardly had time to read a chapter in it himself , and bu t few of the brethren had even seen it, but I pled so earnestl y for it, h e finally said, “Child, if you will bring this book home befo re breakfas t tomorrow morning, you may take it.” He admonished me to b e very careful , and see that no harm came to it.
If any person in this world was ever perfectly happy in the possessio n o f any coveted treasure I was when I had permission to read that wonde rfu l book. Uncle and Aunt were Methodists, so when I got into the house , I e xclaimed, “Oh, Uncle, I have got the ‘Golden Bible’.” Well, there w as con sternation in the house for a few moments, and I was severely repr imande d for being so presumptuous as to ask such a favor, when Brother M orley h ad not read it himself. However, we all took turns reading it unt il ver y late in the night as soon as it was light enough to see, I was u p and l earned the first verse in the book. When I reached Brother Morley ’s the y had been up for only a little while. When I handed him the book , he rem arked, “I guess you did not read much in it.” I showed him how f ar we ha d read. He was surprised and said, “I don’t believe you can tel l me one w ord of it.” I then repeated the first verse, also the outline s of the his tory of Nephi. He gazed at me in surprise, and said, “child , take this bo ok home and finish it, I can wait.”
Before or about the time I finished the last chapter, the Prophet Jose p h Smith arrived in Kirtland, and moved into a part of Newel K. Whitney ’ s house (Uncle Algernon’s partner in the Mercantile Business), while wa it ing for his goods to be put in order. Brother Whitney brought the Prop he t Joseph to our house and introduced him to the older ones of the fami l y (I was not in at the time.) In looking around he saw the Book of Morm o n on the shelf, and asked how that book came to be there. He said, “I s en t that book to Brother Morley.” Uncle told him how his niece had obtai ne d it. He asked, “Where is your niece?” I was sent for; when he saw m e h e looked at me so earnestly, I felt almost afraid. After a moment o r tw o he came and put his hands on my head and gave me a great blessing , th e first I ever received, and made me a present of the book, and sai d he w ould give Brother Morley another. He came in time to rebuke the ev il spir its, and set the church in order. We all felt that he was a man o f God, f or he spoke with power, and as one having authority in very deed .1
At age 87, Mary bore this testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith:
Well, my young brethren, I can say I never was more surprised in my li f e than to be called upon to speak to you young men who are called upo n t o go into the mission field to preach the gospel to the nations of th e ea rth. It is true I have been in the Church from its beginning. Just s ix mo nths after it was organized, I joined it. I have been acquainted wi th al l of those who were first members of this Church, with all of thos e who s aw the plates and handled them, with even those who saw the ange l Moron i who came to them. I am well acquainted with every one of them a nd I hav e known them from the time that they came to Ohio until their de ath; an d I am the only living witness who was at the first meeting tha t the Prop het [Joseph Smith] held in Kirtland.
The Smith family was driven from New York, and a small church had been o r ganized. Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer, and Ziba Peterson were members . W ell, I being anxious, though young, to learn about the plates from th os e who knew all about it, my mother and I went up to the Smith family t h e next night after they came to Kirtland. As I went in, there were tw o o r three others present. They were all there, from the old gentleman a nd h is wife to all the sons and daughters. As we stood there talking t o them , Joseph and Martin Harris came in. Joseph looked around very sole mnly. I t was the first time some of them had ever seen him.
Said he, “There are enough here to hold a little meeting.” They got a bo a rd and put it across two chairs to make seats. Martin Harris sat on a l it tle box at Joseph’s feet. They sang and prayed. Joseph got up and bega n t o speak to us. As he began to speak very solemnly and very earnestly , al l at once his countenance changed and he stood mute. Those who looke d a t him that day said there was a search light within him, over every p ar t of his body. I never saw anything like it on the earth. I could no t tak e my eyes off him; he got so white that anyone who saw him would ha ve tho ught he was transparent. I remember I thought I could almost see t he chee k bones through the flesh. I have been through many changes sinc e but tha t is photographed on my brain. I shall remember it and see in m y mind’s e ye as long as I remain upon the earth.
He stood some moments. He looked over the congregation as if to pierce e v ery heart. He said, “Do you know who has been in your midst?” One of t h e Smiths said an angel of the Lord. Martin Harris said, “It was our Lo r d and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Joseph put his hand down on Martin and sai d : “God revealed that to you. Brethren and sisters, the Spirit of God h a s been here. The Savior has been in your midst this night and I want y o u to remember it. There is a veil over your eyes for you could not endu r e to look upon Him. You must be fed with milk, not with strong meat . I wa nt you to remember this as if it were the last thing that escape d my lips . He has given all of you to me and has sealed you up to everla sting lif e that where he is, you may be also. And if you are tempted o f Satan say , ‘Get behind me, Satan.’”
These words are figured upon my brain and I never took my eye off his co u ntenance. Then he knelt down and prayed. I have never heard anything li k e it before or since. I felt that he was talking to the Lord and that p ow er rested down upon the congregation. Every soul felt it. The spirit r est ed upon us in every fiber of our bodies, and we received a sermon fro m th e lips of the representative of God.2
Wilford Woodruff bore a similar testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smit h i n Wilford
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Has 2 ancestors and 10 descendants in this family tree.
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