Person:Rizpah Knight (5)

BIOGRAPHY: Rizpah Jane KNIGHT(21) was born on 13 MAY 1829 in Perrysburry, Cattaraugus, NY. She was baptized into the LDS church in JUN 1841. She was endowed on 5 JAN 1846. She died on 17 MAR 1895 in St. Johns, Apache, AZ. She was buried on 18 MAR 1895 in St. Johns, Apache, AZ. Was reendowed and resealed to husband: 19 Mar 1853 Parents: Vinson KNIGHT Bishop and Martha MCBRIDE.

SUP-Pioneer Memorial Gallery Index Cards

Name: Andrew Smith Gibbons Spouse: Rizpah Knight Pioneer: before 1869 Birth Date: 12 Mar 1825 Death Date: 09 Feb 1886 Birth Place: Union Township, Licking, Ohio Death Place: St. Johns, Apache, Ariz. Donor: William Davidson Gibbons Family Organization c/o F. M. Gibbons, President Chapter: EMC

Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia Volume 4 Stake and Ward Officers St. Johns Stake Hall, Ashley Moroni

Gibbons, Leroy, first counselor in the presidency of the St. Johns Stake, Arizona, from 1929 to 1930+, was born Sept. 4, 1872, in Glendale, Utah, a son of Andrew S. Gibbons and Rizpah Knight. He was baptized May 5, 1881, ordained a High Priest March 4, 1893, by Wm. H. Gibbons, ordained a Bishop Sept. 5, 1901, and presided over the Concho Ward. He also served as Bishop of the St. Johns Ward from 1910 to 1915, and acted as second counselor in the Stake presidency from 1922 to 1929 (Feb. 3), when he was set apart as first counselor by Rudger Clawson

The Life Stories of Joshua Smith Gibbons & Nancy Louisa Noble Gibbons And of Their Children who lived to Raise Families By Gordan H. Fammer - Editor - 2001 Page 76 - 77 Rizpah Knight Gibbons Eulogy and Tributes Gibbons, Helen Bay, Saint and Savage, Deseret Book Company, 1965, p. 233 RIZPAH KNIGHT GIBBONS

  There was a hint of swelling buds in the peach orchard, if one were to look closely enough. Another spring it was, with another new year ahead. The song of the meadowlark could be heard in the clean freshness of the desert air. "St. Johns is a pretty little place!" the bird seemed to be trilling. Children in their long black stockings shrieked their high-pitched happiness at the warm sunshine as they scampered out the doors of the little white schoolhouse on the hill, protected by the long fringes of the poplars which Andrew had planted there.
  Rizpah did not notice. There had been another urgent call to assist in ushering in a newborn life, and she was the only midwife in the place. Her aging muscles slowed her pace, and she climbed laboriously aboard the waiting buggy. Involuntarily again, she glanced toward the peach orchard as though expecting still to see him there, fussing with his trees.
  Across the town in the raw area they had set aside for a cemetery, the fresh-turned soil revealed his resting-place. Andrew had gone ahead once more, and she must wait her turn to follow him. She had mastered the discipline of waiting, so she did not really mind, especially since she knew that this was the last time. She held onto the swaying buggy, and though she was lonely she felt a kind of gentle peace in knowing that they both had labored honestly to fulfil every call.

[Editor] Sometime after their marriage Joshua and Nancy took Joshua's Mother, Rizpah, into their home and cared for her until her death on March 11, 1895. I have often said that I was sure that her husband, Andrew S. would go to the Celestial Kingdom, but I am sure absolutely certain that Rizpah will go there. She endured more for the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ than even her Indian Missionary husband and she did it with profound patience and faith. The wonderful service of Andrew S. is not one whit greater than that of his faithful and loyal wife and mother of his children. Blessed be her name, and his forever. I can hardly wait to meet these two ancestor and to express my gratitude and love for them.

  [Nancy, wife]  "Joshua was gone the greater part of the time with sheep. During the second winter of our marriage he took the co-op sheep to Graham County. During that winter Mother Gibbons lived with me. How I loved her. I would read to her during the evening and she was so kind and good. One morning she could not be awakened. She lived about two days. She died in March. I was so lonely without her. When I meet her over there I hope she will be glad to see me. I shall never forget when Joshua came home and his mother was gone, how he sobbed and cried. She often told me Joshie had always been good to her.
  [Ione Mineer, Niece] My first recollection of Uncle Josh and Aunt Nancy was when Grandma Gibbons [Rispah Knight Gibbons] died. I remember going into Uncle Josh's home and seeing Grandma lying on the bed.

[Gordon Flammer, Editor] Andrew was an explorer, adventurer, a trail-blazer and a missionary to the Indians. This meant that he was gone from home much of the time. Through all the hardships of pioneer life and the many moves to settle yet another frontier community. Rizpah was a tower of strength. She was his partner and helpmate, assuming, in his absences from home, the full responsibility for the care and support of their large family. Time after time, she willingly sacrificed the relative comfort of her home in an established community to follow Andrew as he was called to lead the way into yet another new area. The price of pioneering was high. Eight of their fifteen children died in infancy from things like the measles and pre-maturity, and Rizpah had to see their little bodies buried in tiny graves along the way. (Paraphrased from A Turning of Hearts by Frank and Helen Bay Gibbons.)

Descendants of Benjamin Butterfield Sue Marvelyn Butterfield Picard 2002 - Page 290

OBITUARY: Deseret News/ Obituary Notes 6 April 1895 St. John, Apache County, Arizona, March 24, 1895. - Rizpah Knight Gibbons, who died here March 17, 1895, was born May 13, 1829, in Perrysburg County, state of New York. She was the daughter of Martha McBride and Bishop Vinson Knight. Her parents united with the Church soon after its organization and in 1834 moved to Kirtland, Ohio. The deceased was present at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple March 27, 1836. From thence the family moved westward and located in the state of Missouri, and were expelled from the state with the Church in 1839, locating at Nauvoo, Ills. It was here that she formed the acquaintance of Andrew S. Gibbons (now deceased), and married him. They were permitted to enter the Temple at Nauvoo and receive their blessing. In 1846 they were driven from their home, going westward, she remaining with the Saints that were scattered along the way between Nauvoo and a place called Winter Quarters, while her husband went on with President Young's Pioneer company. In the fall of 1847 her husband returned; they immediately set themselves about to gather means to follow on. They were successful and arrived in Salt Lake valley in 1852 and located at Bountiful. In 1854 they were called to the Southern mission and located in Iron County. In 1858 her husband (with others) was called to labor as Indian missionary with a view of creating a more friendly feeling between them and the white people, that the settlement of the Saints might be extended father south. She labored with her husband in this direction for many years and consequently suffered much privation, but she never complained; there was nothing so dear to her as the faith she had accepted. She, with her husband, had the privilege of entering into holy places and receiving greater blessing and also did a good work for their dead. They were called to Arizona and located in St. Johns in February, 1880. Her husband preceded her to the other world nine years, having died February 9, 1886. She was the mother of fifteen children, eight of whom died in their infancy; the remainder have all settled in life and have families, and are members of the Church, which was a great satisfaction to her. In her later years she devoted much of her time to caring for the sick, and so general were her visits that there was scarcely a family in the neighborhood that had not been cared for by her; and as was said by some of the speakers at her funeral, "it seemed as though a dear relative had been taken from our midst." She was followed to her last resting place by many loving relatives and friends and laid beside her faithful husband. Andrew V. Gibbons

MEDIA: D0177 - Rizpah Jane Knight Gibbons wife of Andrew Smith Gibbons