Family:John Carter and Hannah Libby (1)

Hannah Knight Libby Carter

Hannah Carter was a refined, cultured woman. The family belonged to the Methodist Church. In 1834 Morman elders brought to them in their home in Maine the Gospel. The following account is written by Elize Ann (Carter) Snow, daughter of Hannah:

"I first embraced Mormanism in 1834 in the town of Newry, Oxford County, State of Maine. The first Morman elders I ever heard preach were John F. Boynton and Daniel Bean. They came to my father's house, and my mother lay very sick. The doctors had given her up. The elders told her they were preaching a new doctrine and they told her that she could be healed if she could have faith, that they would hold hands on her. They did lay hands on her and said, 'In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ be thou made whole.' And she was made whole and arose and called for her clothes and said I must go to the water. She walked one-half mile and was baptized in the river called Bear River and confirmed. And there was a large branch raised up in that place."

John Carter did not join the Church. When his wife was healed, he said, "That beats doctor bills." But he never joined the Church.

Of the nine children, Domincus, Hannah, who had married Aaron York, William F., John, Eliza Ann, and Richard, were all baptized, most of them in June 1834. Two daughters and one son never became members.

Responding to the spirit of gathering which rested upon them, those who had embraced Mormonism left Maine in 1836 and traveled all the long way to Kirtland, Ohio, then the headquarters of the Church. They attended the Temple, took part in the wonderful meetings, and joined the Saints in singing the songs of Zion.

The next year an apostate movement arose, and John F. Boynton, the missionary who had brought the Gospel to them in Maine and had since become one of the first quorom of apostles, became one of the bitterest and most violent leaders against the Prophet. So intense was the persecution that those who remained staunch and faithful were forced to leave for Far West, Missouri.

Early in 1838 William F. Carter and Eliza Ann, who had recently married James C. Snow, set out together for Missouri, driving an ox team. The graphic story of that trying journey is thus told by Eliza Ann.

"It was cold weather and we suffered much with the cold, but we traveled until we came to Terre Haute, Indiana, and one of our oxen died, leaving us with one ox, so we were obliged to stop.We had no money, no house to go in and we got the privilege of going into a horse stable and I cleaned it out and was glad to get into a place out of the storms. After stopping in Indiana a few weeks Hyrum Smith's company came along, and he being acquainted with me said to me, 'If you will ride in my baggage wagon I will take you along and you can drive the team and the men can walk.' I said I will do so. We traveled until we came to Jacksonville, Illinois; there one of Hyrum Smith's horses died and he had to leave us. There was a branch of the church near by but he did not leave us peniless amongst strangers, without home or friends but he called for the President of the branch and told him to let Brother Snow preside over the branch as a missionary and to feed and cloth us until the Kirtland Camp Company came along in the fall, and he did so. The President's name was Merrick, the brother that was killed at the Haun's Mill Massacre in Missouri.While we were there in the branch I looked out,and behold:there came my brother William with the one ox that we left behind. He had made a harness and tackled him up and the one ox carried his wife and three children to Missouri,and when I saw him I rejoiced to see him have so much faith, but the Gentiles made all manner of fun of him. They said 'There goes a d-- Mormon with one ox.' but he got there just the same; and Father Joseph Smith said it should be in the annals of his history.After that the Kirtland Camp came along and we went to Missouri with them. We went into an old log house that we could poke a cat out between the logs and there my first child was born: itwas the 30th day of October in the year 1838. Sarah Jane who became the wife of Marshall Kinsman and afterwards wife of President Joseph Young. It was cold and snowed every day and the mob came into Far West the very day of her birth, and we were much excited. I could not keep the midwife long enough to dress my child, Sister Diantha Billings was her name, well known among our people.The mob was blowing horns and firing guns all night long. We were without bread or anything to make bread of, but by the help of the Lord we were preserved by the brethern giving up their arms and promising to leave Far West. We left for Illinois in the month of February of the following year. There were three families to one wagon and one span of old horses, we took turns in walking. There was Brother Winslow Farr and wife, Gardener Snow and wife and James Snow and wife.We traveled all day and at night lay down at a camp fire as we had no tent."

In the famous Kirtland camp which traveled from Kirtland to Far West were Dominicus Carter with six in his family, Aaron York with four in his family, and John Carter with two. Dominicus, on July 18 was appointed commissary of the camp. Once when three of the camp members were unjustly thrown into prison, Dominicus Carter voluntary returned and stayed with them in Prison until their release was obtained.

On August 11 in the fore part of the night, Sarah Emily, daughter of Dominicus Carter, aged about two years and three months, died. Her's was the fourth death of the journey. Her funeral was held at two o'clock the next day.

But still further sorrows awaited him as the camp neared Far West. Everyday they say numerous men of the community take up arms and to join the mob militia to drive the Mormons from the state of Missouri or exterminate them. Someone suggested that members of the camp turn back and not run into certain danger, but this proposal was unanimously rejected. The camp arrived at their destination July 4. Persecution and massacres were a frequent occurrence, and mobs preyed upon community.

During this time, Lydia, the 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 wood 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 afterward, October 23. her surviving children were scattered among the relatives.

In February 1839, the saints were driven from Missouri. The leader of one group was Isaac Morley. He found a suitable spot for settlement near Lima, Illinois, where four walls of a log cabin had been set up. He moved into it while it had neither roof, floor, nor windows. Other families joined him, and soon a prosperous community had arisen known as Morley's Settlement. It was also called Yelrone.

In the space of five years fertile farms had been developed and the community was a veritable hive of industry. On June 15, 1844 a mob of two- thousand men headed by the bitter anti-Mormon Col. Levi Williams, came upon the Saints at Morley's Settlement and ordered them to make a choice of one of three alternatives. First they were to take up arms, join the mob and go with them to Nauvoo and help them to arrest the Prophet Joseph Smith and 17 other leaders. They must abandon their homes and go to Nauvoo, or third give up their arms and remain neutral. They were given until eight o'clock to decide and told that if they did not join the mob they would "smell thunder."

These brave and devoted Church members did not join the mob nor remain neutral, so they were compelled to leave their homes and flee to Nauvoo for safety. The Prophet heard their story and sent messengers to report this outrage to Governor Ford. Before any action was taken, however, the martyrdom of the Prophets and Hyrum occurred on June 27 at Carthage jail.

In the months that followed the situation became more peaceful and the group returned to their homes in Morley's Settlement, and peace reigned until September 10, 1845, when another mob bent on destruction came upon the settlement and for eight days and nights fired upon the settlers, burned between 70 and 80 homes, all their stacks of grain, shops, and other buildings. The inhabitants were forced out into the cold night during a drenching rain, and the aged, sick, and little ones suffered intensely, and many deaths occurred.

Edmond Durfee, one of the leaders of the community was shot by the mob.

Brigham Young and the leaders advised them to abandon their homes and possessions to the mob, but to save as many of their families as they could and come to Nauvoo. Teams were sent from Nauvoo to assist in bringing them in.

In February 1846 the exodus from Nauvoo began. Hannah Libby and her husband John had moved to Nauvoo as early as 1842 when they signed a deed in Hancock County purchasing land at Morley's Settlement. She had received a patriarchal blessing from Isaac Morley in 1844.

At last the day of separation came. John Carter persistently refused to join the Church. Hannah, his wife, elected to come west with her people and her children who had embraced Momanism. Before leaving Nauvoo she was sealed for time and eternity to Isaac Morley.

Account from their granddaughter, Irena's life history

John Carter was born 19 May 1782 and his wife, Hannah Knight Libby, 9 Oct. 1786. Both were born in Scarborough, Cumberland Co., Maine, This couple were married 2 March 1806. They are parents of 11 children. Their first three children--Dominicus, Almira, and Hannah were born 21 June, 1806; 3 Jan. 1808; and 28 June 1809 respectively, in Scarborough. The other brothers and sisters--William Furlsbury, Philip L., John Harrison, John H. Eliza Ann, Richard, Mary Jane, and Rufus-----were born 1 May 1811, 17 June 1813; 13 Jan. 1815, 6 Oct. 1816, 28 Sept. 1818, 8 Aug.1820, 13 March 1823; and 9 Oct. 1825 resp. in Newry, Oxford Co., Maine. John, the father, spent most of his life as a "sea captain" on his own large transport ship--"THE JOHN CARTER." Because of the connection with his ship, the father was away from a great deal of the time, The mother and part of the children joined the Church by accepting baptism, 4 July 1834, and came west with the Mormons. The son, William Furlsbury, was one of the children that came west with his mother. The father, however never joined this church nor did he come west. He died and buried in Hancock Co., Illinois, 12 Aug. 1852. The mother after coming west with part of her family settled in Provo, Utah Co., Utah. The Mother, while a young girl in Maine, received limited schooling; thus she schooled her own family the best she could with the limited time she had available. She, for some time, taught in the Utah County schoold. She died and was laid at rest in Provo in Nov. 1867.

1.   Geneological society film.
2.   William F. Carter family record.
3.   Index bureau, Patriarchial Blessings.
4.   Provo Cemetary records.
5.   Maine Geneological record 6
   368-369.
6. ↑ MARRIAGE: Scarborough Town Records; copy in possession of Robert E. Givens; Married 2 March 1806 - (the original record clearly shows year as 1806 not 1805).