Lucy Bigelow was born to Nahum and Mary Foster Gibbs Bigelow early in the morning on October 3, 1830 in a small, two room cabin in Charleston, Coles County, Illinois. She was the second girl and third child born into this family.
When Lucy was seven years old, two men, Libbias T. Coons and David Gammot stopped at the door of their home seeking a night’s lodging. It was granted and during the course of the evening, the strange tenets of the new church, often called Mormons, were explained to her parents. They readily accepted the truths taught them and they, along with her older sister Mary and older brother Hiram, were baptized almost immediately. Lucy, being only seven, had to wait a little while. Finally, on the 6th of April, 1839 she was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
There was a strong branch in Coles County and meetings were often held in the Bigelow home. Lucy was an excellent singer and almost always led the singing. Eventually, they moved to Mercer county, near Hancock County, and started again with another homestead. One day, when Lucy was 15 years old, the family was threatened by a mob. One kind neighbor gave them warning late one night. The next day, while the parents were out in the fields, leaving the younger children home, they were warned again by a neighbor, who stopped by and told the children that the mob had sworn to be there as soon as the night came on to murder every living soul in the house from adult to the littlest baby. Finally, the parents returned home, and the children told them of the warning they’d received. Nahum was not easily frightened and hesitated a good deal about abandoning their farm at the command “of a rascally mob of cutthroats.”
About then, a man drove by with a team and an empty wagon asking them if they wanted to go to Nauvoo. The family he had been sent to help had already gone to Nauvoo, and he was about to return with an empty wagon. Finally, due to the expressed fears of his wife and children, and “the brother’s evident desire to have the family accompany him – it all seemed to be providentially arranged as the man felt he had been inspired to come for them, a few things were hurriedly put together and the home was abandoned forever.”
“Although young in years, Lucy was very tall and womanly in her looks so that the eyes of a number of young men fell on her.” She’d made frequent trips to Nauvoo where she had occasion to see and hear from the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum. In September 1845, after the martyrdom, the family, living just outside of Nauvoo at the time, began preparations to move into Nauvoo as the threats from the mobs were getting worse. In June of 1846, they were finally able to leave their beloved Nauvoo, crossing the river on rafts.
Nahum had 3 wagons. Two were ox driven and one with horses. Nahum and Lucy’s brother, Hiram, drove the ox teams and Lucy drove the one with the horses. Finally, they reached Winter Quarters and Nahum began building at once a two room home, with two of the wagon boxes being taken off and set just outside the door making bedrooms for the girls and children. They were blessed to have enough food and supplies to do well while there. A school also opened which Lucy and her sister Mary gladly attended. They soaked up all the knowledge they could. She was remarkably well educated for her day and surprisingly intelligent in the school of experience, observation, knowledge of human nature and of faith.
Soon after arriving in Winter Quarters, Lucy was courted by a young man by the name of David Ward, who, from the first time he saw Lucy back in Nauvoo, wished to gain her love. Eventually she “gave him a reluctant promise to someday be his wife.” One of her reasons was to avoid another young man pursuing her but her main reason was “she wished to choose a young man for her husband, her frequent remark being that, ‘she would never marry a married man.’” Her mother chided her for that often saying, “Don’t set stakes with your tongue, Lucy, which you may have to pull out with your teeth.” David and Lucy eventually became engaged and he decided to go to Wisconsin to look after some property belonging to his mother before it was time to join the general move West.
Arrangements were made and he received a blessing before departing. In this blessing, the officiator set him apart to preach to the spirits in prison. No one thought much of that part of his blessing at the time. He came to say farewell to Lucy and her family and said to her in low tones, “well Lucy, when I come back, I dare say I shall find you married to some old married man?” “You needn’t fear that at all,” she replied very decidedly. Sadly, he did not return from this mission having contracted measles during his passage on the river and passing away four days after his arrival in Wisconsin.
Lucy was desolate. In Lucy’s autobiography, with the help of her daughter, Susa, the story then goes like this –
There were occasional parties through the winter which they usually attended. While there, in Winter Quarters, a young man named Brother Wicks approached Nahum and said, “I admire those two girls of yours very much and would like to get them both for my wives, if you will give me your consent.” (The principle of plural marriage had been revealed by then.) “Oh yes,” answered the straight-forward father. “You are welcome to my consent. What you will have to get through though, will be theirs.” No time or effort was thereafter spared by the enterprising Bro. Wicks to make himself admired by the two girls.
So persistent did he at last become, and so reserved were the girls, that the father mentioned the matter to Brigham Young, with whom he was good friends. “President Young,” he said, “I would like your opinion of Bro. Wicks. I know he is working for you, and you are well acquainted with him. He is very anxious to get my girls sealed to him.” “Oh, he is, eh? Well, so far as anything I know, Bro. Wicks is a very good man, but his wife is a high-strung piece.” As the girls were getting to a marriageable age, Nahum was anxious to see them married to good men but wasn’t one to try and influence their decision. He said to Brigham, “I will advise the girls to take this brother at once.” Brigham replied, “I haven’t said so. Let the matter rest awhile, and I will come up and see the girls about it before long.”
It was so arranged. Before many days, the President came in and spent the evening chatting with Mary. Knowing his special errand, the family quietly got out of the way, leaving him a few moments alone with Mary. After some time, he said to her: “I understand Bro. Wicks wishes to have you and your sister Lucy sealed to him. What are your feelings in regard to this matter? Do you want him for a husband?” “No, sir. I don’t think that I do,” the girl timidly and quietly replied. “Well, is there anyone you do want? The sisters ought to have their choice in the matter for they can choose but one; and they have a right to select that one. So, if you know of anyone you would like, tell me who it is.” “I don’t know of anyone, thank you, Pres. Young.” “Well, now then – how would you like me for a husband, Mary?” “I can’t tell, sir.” “Take your own time to think it over. And you may ask your sister Lucy the same question I have asked you. If you girls would like to be sealed to me, you can tell me whenever you are decided on the matter.”
This was the simple, direct proposal of a man who had not the time and less inclination to “court” young women. He did not spend any time in “courting” girls; his time was far too occupied, and his principles never allowed him to run after girls. When the Spirit of the Lord whispered to him that he should seek such and such a one for a wife, he did so in a quiet, manly, grave way, never with any spirit of coercion on his part, and always leaving as he so often expressed it: “the sparking to come after.” “Marry first and spark after,” was a favorite aphorism of his, and he carried it out in his own life.
This conversation occurred in the Fall of 1846. Once in a while he would drop in and spend part of the evening chatting with the family. But almost always on those occasions, Lucy was out of sight. No matter what Mary thought, Lucy had determined in her own mind that she would say, “NO!” She had resolved long ago not to be sealed in plural marriage; and certainly not to such a reserved, dignified man, old enough to be her father (there was nearly 30 years difference in their ages), and he already had many “spiritual wives.” She was a happy, impulsive girl full of frolic and fun and was not going to give her heart to anyone she could not kick off her heels with! Still whenever Mary mentioned the matter to her, she was too frightened to say ‘no’ outright, but would say evasively, “I don’t know.” She had hoped something would transpire to relieve her from the necessity of saying ’no’ to the President of the Church, but she had certainly decided not to say, “yes.”
The winter months sped along, and with the approaching spring, preparations were made for the departure of the pioneers unto “the mountains.” One evening in the early days of March 1847, President Young called at the Bigelow’s, and told Mary to ascertain what Lucy’s decision was, as he wished to have Mary or both the girls if it was so decided, sealed to him the week after his present visit.
“Lucy,” said Mary after he left, “President Young wants you to make up your mind now. I am to be sealed to him next week, and you, too, if you want to. So, what do you say?” “I don’t know,” answered the puzzled girl. “I’ll tell you what it is, Mary. I don’t feel as if I could marry him. He’s got such a lot of wives now, and it doesn’t seem like he could ever be my husband.”
So, another week drifted by, and on Sunday evening, Mary and Lucy happened to be alone in the living room, when in walked the President. After some desultory conversation, he turned directly to Lucy and asked gravely, “Well Lucy, have you made up your mind whether to be sealed to me or not?” “Y-es sir,” faltered the little coward and her fate was sealed forever, thank God. “Very well then,” he said, “we will have the matter attended to on a day this coming week.”
So, it happened. Sunday, the fourteenth day of March, in the evening of that day, President Young, accompanied by Elders Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards and Ezra T. Benson came down to the Bigelow’s and after chatting a few moments, the two girls, Mary and Lucy, stood up, and were sealed to Brigham Young for time and all eternity. Mary stood next to him and after she was sealed, he put her arm in his, then took Lucy’s hand and she was sealed. Brother Kimball officiated, the other two acting as witnesses.
One month from that day, the first company of pioneers started for “the mountains.” Lucy spent the next year working at various jobs in St. Louis to earn money to help her family prepare for the journey to west. When Brigham returned to Winter Quarters and found out where she was and what she’d been doing he sent for her immediately. He said in a letter that he’d “rather have given the last coat off his back than to have her down there.” Arrangements were then made for her to join the current company leaving for the valley and so in May of 1848, Lucy became the first of her immediate family to go to the valley. Mary was not very well and waited to come west the following year with the rest of the family.
It was arranged for Lucy to ride with Brother Willard McMullen and his wife, who was an invalid; she was to work her way across the plains caring for her in partial payment. Brigham also furnished a yoke of oxen and 300 pounds of flour. Lucy’s frequent companion on this long journey was Ellen Rockwood, also a wife of Brigham. Together they walked far ahead of the teams at times, then lingering behind occasionally to explore some inviting spot along the way.
Ellen was a sweet girl with a mild and gentle disposition that endeared her to all who knew her. Her parents were also in the company and so she didn’t feel quite as lonely as Lucy. At one point on the journey Lucy had also been caring for a Sister Taylor who had been stricken with measles. She was a middle aged woman who eventually died from the disease. Soon afterwards Lucy herself became ill, but Brigham administered to her and soon she was back to her usual spunky self.
After arriving in the valley, she lived with Vilate Young Decker, and helped care for her and her family, becoming very close friends. Later, she shared a bedroom in the old Log Row with Clara Decker Young, who became one of her truest and best loved friends.
If people are ever to be known by their most prominent characteristics, Lucy would be known for faith, humility and her gift of healing! She was a constant companion of Zina D. Young and Eliza R. Snow, doing much good and healing many. She was the first matron of the St. George Temple where many who were sick and afflicted would come to her for her healing touch. She was also the first woman to perform the endowment for the dead in this dispensation, so far as is known. She also was called upon to assist in starting the ordinance work in both the Logan and Manti Temples, returning in between to continue her service in the St. George Temple. Her life was filled with spiritual experiences, her childlike faith in the gospel making her quite susceptible to many impressions and experiences.
Lucy was the mother to 3 daughters – Dora (Eudora Lovina), Susa and Mabel (Rhoda Mabel). She loved them dearly and was always available to help them with whatever they needed. She was also very musical, taking organ lessons and then teaching lessons as well. One of her pupils was Orson F. Whitney. Lucy loved attending the theater and often helped with costumes, hair and make-up. Lucy was artistic by nature, could easily see the lines and colors in things. She was a great seamstress as well and could make any dress fit the wearer like a glove.
In 1870, Lucy moved with 2 of her daughters to St. George to maintain Brigham’s home there. In 1877, she received the dreaded telegram saying that her husband of 30 years had passed away. Immediately making the difficult arrangements to get to Salt Lake City from St. George, she gratefully made it to the funeral just an hour before it started. Then in 1880, she went to New England to visit her Bigelow family and gathered many of her family’s genealogy records for temple work.
In 1887 she went to the Sandwich Islands to spend time with her daughter, Susa, and her family who were serving as missionaries. While there, she became fluent enough in the Hawaiian language that she was able to share her testimony with the sisters there in their own language. She also became friends with Queen Lililuokalani.
In 1890, she and Susa attended a Bigelow Family Reunion in Worcester, Massachusetts where they were warmly welcomed, despite being Mormon, as part of their large New England family.
Lucy saw much of the world. In the summer of 1899 she was invited, along with her daughter Susa, to be a patron at the International Council of Women being held in London England that year. While there she was able to meet Queen Victoria as well. They also were invited to the U S Council of Women’s Congress held in February of that year in Washington D.C. in company with Emmeline B. Wells. This was truly significant as Mormon women were, at the time in history, held in low esteem. They were actually thought of as debased slaves, ignorant beyond description and utterly immoral and unchaste. Lucy stayed on after the conference in London, going to Berlin, Germany to spend time with her granddaughter Leah Widtsoe and her husband John. She had recently given birth to a daughter, Anna, and she was excited to see them. She also was to help take care of her granddaughter, Emma Lucy Gates, while she studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Here she was at age 70, in a foreign country, living in an apartment 5 floors up, before elevators. She also began learning the German language, which she learned well enough to use when speaking in church. She also helped organize and then presided over the Relief Societies in the German Mission.
In the summer of 1901, Emma Lucy’s parents sent word that it was time for her to come home, having been gone for three years. So, the two of them left Germany, stopping in England to visit relatives, finally reaching the valley they loved so much! Upon her return, she was able to build a home just the way she wanted it, but her health was failing. She had rheumatism and late in 1904, had a fall that rendered her wheelchair-bound. Then in January of 1905, she developed a cold that turned to pneumonia and in the evening of February 3rd she passed away with all 3 of her daughters by her side.
Lucy was a quiet woman who never sought the limelight but who was nevertheless well known and well loved. She had the gift of healing and an unwavering testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and could often be found in the temples serving and blessing all who knew her! She loved and was loved by her husband and I am certain their reunion was sweet. I am so honored to be her 3 rd great-granddaughter!
Written by Kari Robinson