Person:Lydia Goldthwatie (3)

BIOGRAPHY: The Jesse Knight Family Jesse Knight, His Forebears and Family By Jesse William Knight The Deseret News Press 1941 - Page 14 Lydia Goldthwatie Knight was traveling to join the members of the Mormon Church, she was traveling with a Knight Family. This was in the Spring of 1835.

  On reaching Kirtland, the family with whom Lydia had traveled, set at once to make arrangements to settle down. Leaving his wife and Lydia at the hotel, Mr. Knight, for that was the gentleman's name, who was a resident of Kirtland but not connected with the Newel Knight family.
  On being introduced to Lydia, Vincent (Actually Bishop Vinson Knight) Knight said, "Sister, the Prophet is in bondage and has been brought into distress by the persecutions of the wicked, and if you have any means to give, it will be a benefit to him. "Oh yes, sir," she replied, "here is all I have. I only wish it were more," emptying her purse containing perhaps fifty dollars, in his hand as she spoke.
  He counted it and fervently exclaimed, "Thank God, this will release and set the Prophet free."
  As evening drew on Vincent Knight returned and brought the welcome news that Joseph was at liberty, and Lydia's joy to think that she had been the humble means of helping the Prophet, was unbounded.
  Vincent Knight then offered her a home with his family which she accepted, and remained with them for six or eight months.
  She later met Newell Knight (her future husband) here.

Page: 000992 Name: Lydia Goldthwaite Gender: female Birth Date: 09 Jun 1812 Birth PlaceB>: Sutton, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA Parent1: Jessee Goldthwaite Parent2: Sally Burt Spouse: Calvin Bailey;Newel Knight;John Dalton (Dworce);James McClellan Marriage Date: 1828;23 Nov 1835;Sep 1851;1860 Marriage Place: ?;Kirtland, Lake, Ohio, USA;Great Salt Lake, Utah;Provo Utah Departure Date: 14 Jul 1850 Departure Place: Kanesville Iowa Travel Company: 26M people of This Company-(Emigration Fund) Party: Edward Hunter Company Trail: Mormon Trail Arrival Date: 13 Oct 1850 Arrival Place: Great Salt Lake City Religion: LDS Place Settled: G. S. L., Payson, Santa Clara, St. George, Utah Death Date: 03 Apr 1884 Death Place: St George, Washington, Utah Sources: They Are My Friends (Book)(Sup Library) "Lydia Knight's History" (Book) Ancestral File Ordnance Index Family Archives of Submitter Sub Name: Darrell V. Knight Sub Date: Jan 1999 Pioneer Immigrants to Utah Territory.

FROM 'JAMES/HATCH ONE MINUTE HISTORIES' (1994) Lydia Goldthwaite was born June 9, 1812, in Sutton, Massachusetts, the third of 12 children of Jesse Goldthwaite and Sally Burt. Lydia worked hard on her family's farm and earned a reputation among her siblings for her industry. When her father would kill a sheep, the skin would be rolled up and saved until the wool was ready to be separated from the hide. Lydia would work at pulling the wool from the hide even after her siblings had tired of the task; thus, her family formed the proverb: "Lydia never leaves 'til the last lock is pulled." Around 1820 Lydia's family moved from Massachusetts to the western part of New York state. When Lydia was about 15, her parents sent her away to boarding school. During her second year, she married a man named Calvin Bailey. After about three years of marriage, Calvin left Lydia with one child and pregnant with another. Lydia returned home ashamed and despondent. In February 1832, a boy was born to her who died almost at birth. Then, less than a year later, her first child became ill and died. Lydia became more despondent than ever. In hopes of reviving her spirits with a change of scenery, she accepted an invitation to stay with a married friend and her husband, Freeman Nickerson, in Mount Pleasant, Ontario, Canada. In October 1833, word came from the United States that Freeman's parents had joined the newly formed Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and were coming to Mount Pleasant for a visit. Elder Sydney Rigdon and the Prophet Joseph Smith accompanied Freeman's parents. After sharing their message, Elder Rigdon and the Prophet baptized Lydia, her host family, and about a dozen others. Lydia spoke in tongues at a meeting the next night. Lydia returned home in 1834 confident her parents would join the Church; however, neither did. Although skeptical of the Mormons, Lydia's parents were kind and gave her $50 to establish herself in Kirtland, Ohio. When Lydia arrived in Kirtland in 1835, the Prophet was in prison. Lydia volunteered her $50 to free him but then had no money left for herself. The Prophet's brother, Hyrum, invited her to stay with his family, and it was here Lydia met Newel Knight, a widower from Vermont. Newel proposed marriage to Lydia, but she refused because she still considered herself bound to Calvin Bailey. However, Newel spoke with the Prophet and the Prophet inquired of the Lord. A revelation was received through Joseph Smith that Lydia was free of Calvin and that her marriage to Newel would be pleasing in the Lord's sight. Lydia and Newel rejoiced and were married Nov. 23, 1835, in Kirtland by Joseph Smith. Lydia and Newel were present at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in 1836 and then left for a home in Clay County, Missouri. They experienced many problems with enemies of the Church in Missouri and soon left for a new home in what later became Nauvoo, Illinois. After many sicknesses and trials, Lydia and Newel headed west with seven children in an early company of Saints on April 17, 1846. Newel died on the trail, but Lydia arrived safely in Salt Lake City on Oct. 3, 1850. She entered plural marriage with John Dalton in 1851 but, after one child was born, the marriage ended in divorce. In 1860 Lydia married James McClellan, who died in 1880 after 20 happy years of marriage with Lydia. Lydia worked in the St. George Temple near the end of her life and died in St. George on April 3, 1884.