THE HUNTINGTONS—ZINA D. YOUNG, AND PRESCINDIA L. KIMBALL—THEIR TESTIMONY CONCERNING THE KIRTLAND MANIFESTATIONS—UNPUBLISHED LETTER OF JOSEPH SMITH—DEATH OF MOTHER HUNTINGTON.

Who are these thus pursued as by the demons that ever haunt a great destiny?

As observed in the opening chapter, they are the sons and daughters of the Pilgrim sires and mothers who founded this nation; sons and daughters of the patriots who fought the battles of independence and won for these United States a transcendent destiny.

Here meet we two of the grand-nieces of Samuel Huntington, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Governor of Connecticut, and President of Congress.

Zina Diantha Huntington has long been known and honored as one of the most illustrious women of the Church. She was not only sealed to the prophet Joseph in their sacred covenant of celestial marriage, but after his martyrdom she was sealed to Brigham Young as one of Joseph's wives. For over a quarter of a century she has been known as Zina D. Young—being mother to one of Brigham's daughters. In her mission of usefulness she has stood side by side with Sister Eliza R. Snow, and her life has been that of one of the most noble and saintly of women. Thus is she introduced to mark her honored standing among the sisterhood. Of her ancestral record she says:

"My father's family is directly descended from Simon Huntington, the 'Puritan immigrant' who sailed for America in 1633. He died on the sea, but left three sons and his widow, Margaret. The church records of Roxbury, Mass., contain the earliest record of the Huntington name known in New England, and is in the handwriting of Rev. John Elliot himself, the pastor of that ancient church. This is the record: 'Margaret Huntington, widow, came in 1633. Her husband died by the way, of the small-pox. She brought—children with her.'

"Tradition says that Simon, the Puritan emigrant, sailed for this country to escape the persecutions to which non-conformists were subjected, during the high-handed administrations of Laud and the first Charles. Tradition also declares him to have been beyond doubt an Englishman. The Rev. E. B. Huntington, in his genealogical memoir of the Huntington family in this country, observes: 'The character of his immediate descendants is perhaps in proof of both statements; they, were thoroughly English in their feelings, affinities, and language; and that they were as thoroughly religious, their names and official connection with the early churches in this country abundantly attest.'

"Of one of my great-grandfathers the Huntington family memoir records thus: 'John, born in Norwich, March 15th, 1666, married December 9th, 1686, Abigal, daughter of Samuel Lathrop, who was born in May, 1667. Her father moved to Norwich from New London, to which place he had gone from Scituate, Mass., in 1648. He was the son of the Rev. John Lathrop, who, for nonconformity, being a preacher in the First Congregational Church organized in London, was imprisoned for two years, and who, on being released in 1634, came to this country, and became the first minister of Scituate.'

"The Lathrops, from which my branch of the family was direct, also married with the other branches of the Huntingtons, making us kin of both sides, and my sister, Prescindia Lathrop Huntington, bears the family name of generations.

"My grandfather, Wm. Huntington, was born September 19th, 1757; married, February 13th, 1783, Prescindia Lathrop, and was one of the first settlers in the Black River Valley, in Northern New York. He resided at Watertown. He married for his second wife his first wife's sister, Alvira Lathrop Dresser. He died May 11th, 1842. The following is an obituary notice found in one of the Watertown papers:

"'At his residence, on the 11th inst., Wm. Huntington, in the eighty-fifth year of his age. Mr. Huntington was one of our oldest and most respected inhabitants. He was a native of Tolland, Conn., and for three or four years served in the army of the Revolution. In the year 1784 he emigrated to New Hampshire, where he resided till the year 1804, when he removed to Watertown. He was for many years a member and an officer of the Presbyterian Church.'

"Before his death, however, my grandfather was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He always spoke of Samuel Huntington, the signer of the Declaration of Independence, as his Uncle Samuel."

This genealogical record is given to illustrate the numerous Puritan and Revolutionary relations of the leading families of the Mormon people, and to emphasize the unparalleled outrage of the repeated exile of such descendants—exiles at last from American civilization. How exact has been the resemblance of their history to that of their Pilgrim fathers and mothers!

But the decided connection of the Huntingtons with the Mormon people was in William Huntington, the father of sisters Zina and Prescindia, who for many years was a presiding High Priest of the Church, being a member of the High Council.

This Wm. Huntington was also a patriot, and served in the war with Great Britain, in 1812.

The sisters Zina and Prescindia, with their brothers, were raised fourteen miles east of Sackett's Harbor, where the last battle was fought between the British and Americans, in that war; so that the Revolutionary history of their country formed a peculiarly interesting theme to the "young folks" of the Huntington family. Indeed their brother, Dimock, at the period of the exodus of the Mormons from Nauvoo, had so much of the blood of the patriots in his veins that he at once enlisted in the service of his country in the war with Mexico—being a soldier in the famous Mormon battalion.

Prescindia Lathrop Huntington, the eldest of these two illustrious sisters, was born in Watertown, Jefferson county, N. Y., September 7th, 1810, and was her mother's fourth child; Zina Diantha was born at the same place, January 31st, 1821.

Prescindia is a woman of very strong character; and her life has been marked with great decision and self-reliance, both in thought and purpose. She was also endowed with a large, inspired mind—the gifts of prophesy, speaking in tongues, and the power to heal and comfort the sick, being quite pre-eminent in her apostolic life. In appearance she is the very counterpart of the Eliza Huntington whose likeness is published in the book of the Huntington family. A mother in Israel is Sister Prescindia, and the type of one of the Puritan mothers in the olden time. She was sealed to Joseph Smith, and for many years was one of the wives of the famous Heber C. Kimball.

Mother Huntington was also an exemplary saint. She died a victim of the persecutions, when the saints were driven from Missouri, and deserves to be enshrined as a martyr among her people. Her name was Zina Baker, born May 2d, 1786, in Plainfield, Cheshire county, N. H., and married to Wm. Huntington, December 28, 1806. Her father was one of the first physicians in New Hampshire, and her mother, Diantha Dimock, was descended from the noble family of Dymocks, whose representatives held the hereditary knight-championship of England—instance Sir Edward Dymock, Queen Elizabeth's champion.

Mother Huntington was a woman of great faith. "She believed that God would hear and answer prayer in behalf of the sick. The gift of healing was with her before the gospel was restored in its fullness."

Thus testify her daughters of their mother, whose spirit of faith was also instilled into their own hearts, preparing them to receive the gospel of a great spiritual dispensation, and for that apostolic calling among the sick, to which their useful lives have been greatly devoted.

Father and Mother Huntington had both been strict Presbyterians; but about the time of the organization of the Latter-day Church he withdrew from the congregation, which had become divided over church forms, and commenced an earnest examination of the Scriptures for himself. To his astonishment he discovered that there was no church extant, to his knowledge, according to the ancient pattern, with apostles and prophets, nor any possessing the gifts and powers of the ancient gospel. For the next three years he was as a watcher for the coming of an apostolic mission, when one day Elder Joseph Wakefield brought to his house the Book of Mormon. Soon his family embraced the Latter-day faith, rejoicing in the Lord. Himself and wife, and his son Dimock and his wife, with "Zina D.," then only a maiden, were the first of the family baptized. Zina was baptized by Hyrum Smith, in Watertown, August 1st, 1835.

Prescindia at that time was living with her husband at Loraine, a little village eighteen miles from her native place, when her mother, in the summer of 1835, brought to her the Book of Mormon and her first intelligence of the Mormon prophet. She gathered to Kirtland in May, 1836, and was baptized on the 6th of the following June, and was confirmed by Oliver Cowdry.

"In Kirtland," she says, "we enjoyed many very great blessings, and often saw the power of God manifested. On one occasion I saw angels clothed in white walking upon the temple. It was during one of our monthly fast meetings, when the saints were in the temple worshipping. A little girl came to my door and in wonder called me out, exclaiming, 'The meeting is on the top of the meeting house!' I went to the door, and there I saw on the temple angels clothed in white covering the roof from end to end. They seemed to be walking to and fro; they appeared and disappeared. The third time they appeared and disappeared before I realized that they were not mortal men. Each time in a moment they vanished, and their reappearance was the same. This was in broad daylight, in the afternoon. A number of the children in Kirtland saw the same.

"When the brethren and sisters came home in the evening, they told of the power of God manifested in the temple that day, and of the prophesying and speaking in tongues. It was also said, in the interpretation of tongues, 'That the angels were resting down upon the house.'

"At another fast meeting I was in the temple with my sister Zina. The whole of the congregation were on their knees, praying vocally, for such was the custom at the close of these meetings when Father Smith presided; yet there was no confusion; the voices of the congregation mingled softly together. While the congregation was thus praying, we both heard, from one corner of the room above our heads, a choir of angels singing most beautifully. They were invisible to us, but myriads of angelic voices seemed to be united in singing some song of Zion, and their sweet harmony filled the temple of God.

"We were also in the temple at the pentecost. In the morning Father Smith prayed for a pentecost, in opening the meeting. That day the power of God rested mightily upon the saints. There was poured out upon us abundantly the spirit of revelation, prophesy and tongues. The Holy Ghost filled the house; and along in the afternoon a noise was heard. It was the sound of a mighty rushing wind. But at first the congregation was startled, not knowing what it was. To many it seemed as though the roof was all in flames. Father Smith exclaimed, 'Is the house on fire!'

"'Do you not remember your prayer this morning, Father Smith?' inquired a brother.

"Then the patriarch, clasping his hands, exclaimed, 'The spirit of God, like a mighty rushing wind!'

"At another time a cousin of ours came to visit us at Kirtland. She wanted to go to one of the saints' fast meetings, to hear some one sing or speak in tongues, but she said she expected to have a hearty laugh.

"Accordingly we went with our cousin to the meeting, during which a Brother McCarter rose and sang a song of Zion in tongues; I arose and sang simultaneously with him the same tune and words, beginning and ending each verse in perfect unison, without varying a word. It was just as though we had sung it together a thousand times.

"After we came out of meeting, our cousin observed, 'Instead of laughing, I never felt so solemn in my life.'"

The family of Huntingtons removed with the saints from Kirtland to Far West, and passed through the scenes of the expulsion from Missouri. In this their experience was very similar to the narratives of the other sisters already given; but Sister Prescindia's visit to the prophet, in Liberty jail, must have special notice. She says:

"In the month of February, 1839, my father, with Heber C. Kimball, and Alanson Ripley, came and stayed over night with us, on their way to visit the prophet and brethren in Liberty jail. I was invited to go with them.

"When we arrived at the jail we found a heavy guard outside and inside the door. We were watched very closely, lest we should leave tools to help the prisoners escape.

"I took dinner with the brethren in prison; they were much pleased to see the faces of true friends; but I cannot describe my feelings on seeing that man of God there confined in such a trying time for the saints, when his counsel was so much needed. And we were obliged to leave them in that horrid prison, surrounded by a wicked mob.

"While in prison, the brethren were presented with human flesh to eat. My brother, Wm. Huntington, tasted before the word could be passed from Joseph to him. It was the flesh of a colored man.

"After my second visit to the prison, with Frederick G. Williams, the prophet addressed to me the following letter:

"'LIBERTY JAIL, March 15th, 1839.

"'DEAR SISTER:

"'My heart rejoiced at the friendship you manifested in requesting to have conversation with us; but the jailer is a very jealous man, for fear some one will have tools for us to get out with. He is under the eye of the mob continually, and his life is at stake if he grants us any privilege. He will not let us converse with any one alone.

"'O what a joy it would be for us to see our friends. It would have gladdened my heart to have had the privilege of conversing with you; but the hand of tyranny is upon us; but thanks be to God, it cannot last always; and he that sitteth in the heavens will laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear cometh.

"'We feel, dear sister, that our bondage is not of long duration. I trust that I shall have the chance to give such instructions as have been communicated to us, before long; and as you wanted some instruction from us, and also to give us some information, and administer consolation to us, and to find out what is best for you to do, I think that many of the brethren, if they will be pretty still, can stay in this country until the indignation is over and passed. But I think it will be better for Brother Buell to leave and go with the rest of the brethren, if he keeps the faith, and at any rate, for thus speaketh the spirit concerning him. I want him and you to know that I am your true friend.

"'I was glad to see you. No tongue can tell what inexpressible joy it gives a man to see the face of one who has been a friend, after having been inclosed in the walls of a prison for five months. It seems to me my heart will always be more tender after this than ever it was before.

"'My heart bleeds continually when I contemplate the distress of the Church. O that I could be with them; I would not shrink at toil and hardship to render them comfort and consolation. I want the blessing once more to lift my voice in the midst of the saints. I would pour out my soul to God for their instruction. It has been the plan of the devil to hamper and distress me from the beginning, to keep me from explaining myself to them, and I never have had opportunity to give them the plan that God has revealed to me. Many have run without being sent, crying, 'Tidings, my Lord,' and have caused injury to the Church, giving the adversary more power over them that walk by sight and not by faith. Our trouble will only give us that knowledge to understand the mind of the ancients. For my part I think I never could have felt as I now do if I had not suffered the wrongs which I have suffered. All things shall work together for good to them that love God.

"'Beloved sister, we see that perilous times have truly come, and the things which we have so long expected have at last begun to usher in; but when you see the fig tree begin to put forth its leaves, you may know that the summer is nigh at hand. There will be a short work on the earth; it has now commenced. I suppose there will soon be perplexity all over the earth. Do not let our hearts faint when these things come upon us, for they must come or the word cannot be fulfilled. I know that something will soon take place to stir up this generation to see what they have been doing, and that their fathers have inherited lies, and they have been led captive by the devil to no profit. But they know not what they do. Do not have any feeling of enmity towards any son or daughter of Adam. I believe I shall be let out of their hands some way or other, and shall see good days. We cannot do anything, only stand still and see the salvation of God. He must do his own work or it must fall to the ground. We must not take it in our hands to avenge our wrongs. 'Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord; I will repay.' I have no fears; I shall stand unto death, God being my helper.

"'I wanted to communicate something, and I wrote this. Write to us if you can.

&c.,

"'J. SMITH, JR.'"

This letter to Sister Prescindia, which has never before been published, gives an excellent example of the spirit and style of the prophet. It will be read with interest, even by the anti-Mormon. Himself in prison, and his people even at that moment passing through their expulsion, what passages for admiration are these:

"Do not have any feelings of enmity towards any son or daughter of Adam." "They know not what they do!" "We must not take it in our hands to avenge our wrongs. Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord; I will repay." "I have no fears; I shall stand unto death, God being my helper!"

Like his divine Master this; "Father, forgive them; they know not what they do!" A great heart, indeed, had Joseph, and a spirit exalted with noble aims and purposes.

When Sister Prescindia returned to Far West, her father and mother, with her sister Zina, had started in the exodus of the saints from Missouri to Illinois. She says:

"I never saw my mother again. I felt alone on the earth, with no one to comfort me, excepting my little son, George, for my husband had become a bitter apostate, and I could not speak in favor of the Church in his presence. There was by this time not one true saint in the State of Missouri, to my knowledge."

Sister Zina says: "On the 18th of April, 1839, I left Far West, with my father, mother, and two younger brothers, and arrived at Quincy, Ill., on the 25th of April, and from thence to Commerce, afterwards called Nauvoo, which we reached on the 14th of May.

"Joseph, the prophet, had just escaped from prison in Missouri, and the saints were gathering to Nauvoo. My brother Dimock was also in Illinois, living at Judge Cleveland's.

"On the 24th of June my dear mother was taken sick with a congestive chill. About three hours afterwards she called me to her bedside and said:

"'Zina, my time has come to die. You will live many years; but O, how lonesome father will be. I am not afraid to die. All I dread is the mortal suffering. I shall come forth triumphant when the Saviour comes with the just to meet the saints on the earth.'

"The next morning I was taken sick; and in a few days my father and brother Oliver were also prostrate. My youngest brother, John, twelve years of age, was the only one left that could give us a drink of water; but the prophet sent his adopted daughter to assist us in our affliction, and saw to our being taken care of, as well as circumstances would permit—for there were hundreds, lying in tents and wagons, who needed care as much as we. Once Joseph came himself and made us tea with his own hands, and comforted the sick and dying.

"Early in the morning of the 8th of July, 1839, just before the sun had risen, the spirit of my blessed mother took its flight, without her moving a muscle, or even the quiver of the lip.

"Only two of the family could follow the remains to their resting place. O, who can tell the anguish of the hearts of the survivors, who knew not whose turn it would be to follow next?

"Thus died my martyred mother! The prophet Joseph often said that the saints who died in the persecutions were as much martyrs of the Church as was the apostle David Patten, who was killed in the defence of the saints, or those who were massacred at Haun's Mill. And my beloved mother was one of the many bright martyrs of the Church in those dark and terrible days of persecution."