Ann Prior Jarvis Diary — April 1-6, 1884

Lydia Knight's History by Susa Young Gates.

April tuesday 1. Weather dull.         Spent the day kniting reading writing cooking Dinner ^and^ Cakes. it was fine in the after part of the day it seems as if we should have dry and warm weather now. I am very tierd I cough so much. Em cam[e] [ink blot]

Wensday 2. Weather fine Spent the day kniting reading it is a warm pleasant day went in to Brigs a little while Father working in the wine cellar ^Rode out with Josey^ I am alone as usual. Father has a bad cold disturbed my sleep. I prayed he might get better.

Thursday 3. Weather Pleasant spent the day as usual feeding chickens kniting reading writing. Attended Fast Meeting a good Spirit prevailed ^I walked home^ 

Sister KNight died at 9 o clock had a splendid meeting relief society 

I am going to try to walk to meeting this ^P M^ afternoon I must ask God to help me to get there.

Friday 4. Weather Pleasant I cooked dinn Anne &; children dined with ^us^

[Margin note] read Lydia KNights history

Jose[y] and I rode in the buggys and Anne &; children Father is not well

Lydia Knight.

Saturday 5. Weather fine. Sent three letters one to Eng[land] one to Heber one to Mag [Margaret Jarvis] attended Sister Knights funeral took Amelia riding Em gave me a piece of ^Pork^

Sunday 6. Weather fine & bright Father and Josey gone to sunday school I spent the day ^spent the^ reading going to meeting and went to the spring got water cress Will [Amelia?] Anne Em Sister Walker ^was [indecipherable]^ Went to Night meeting the last one this Season.

Notes

Sister KNight — Lydia Goldthwaite Bailey Knight McClellan (1812-1884). The history Ann refers to is Lydia Knight's History by Susa Young Dunford Gates. Here is a brief biography in the Ensign. Family website: Joseph Knight Family. Here is an excerpt from her biography:

She is all alone, as Samuel lives in Santa Clara; Sally and Lydia, with their husbands, in Orderville; Newel, in Provo; James, Jesse and Artemesia, in Payson; Joseph went to Arizona and died there four years ago, and Hyrum died at Payson three years ago unmarried. 

Her posterity are numerous; they outnumber that of her eleven brothers and sisters put together. 

She has upwards of eighty children, grand-children and great grand-children, and is proud of her labors and the "helps" she has raised to assist in the upbuilding of this kingdom. 

When the relief society was organized by the Prophet Joseph in Nauvoo, Lydia was one of its active members, and from that time until now she has almost continuously labored in one of these societies. 

In the old-time fairs she has often taken prizes for the production of her hands. She has always taken a very active interest in sericulture since its introduction into this territory. There is now on exhibition in the Philadelphia silk rooms several silk skeins of various colors so well spun and twisted as to be indistinguishable from the imported article; also nets, mitts, etc., of Lydia's make. Her labors in the temple are constant and full of the greatest joy and pleasure. She has labored there as a work-hand 621 days, has received endowments for over 700 of her dead and those of her friends; and has blessed many sick, sorrowful and afflicted. Shall I paint a little scene of almost daily occurrence during the past season in St. George? 

Tall trees shade a modest house so deeply set in its leafy frame that the passer-by scarcely discerns its shape. Birds sing in their bright green home, and the grass hides many a harmless insect. The dewy freshness of the morning shimmers on every bough and grassy hillock. The chickens cluck over their morning meal; the cow stands in her cosy shed, happy with her dewy green breakfast and chewing the cud in contentment. 

Out of the front door steps a brisk little woman with so blithe an air, and free a step that you are surprised to look under the veiled bonnet and find a kind, withered face surrounded with a silvery halo of pure white hair. The firm lines around the mouth are rather deepened with experience but the lips wear that pleasant half-smile seen on the faces of the cheerful; the blue eyes, a little dimmed with age and tears, but full of a sunny light and the expression so soft and sweet that little children love to kiss the dear old face. Over the path goes she, and steps into the waiting temple carriage before the clock strikes eight; her house as neat as wax, everything about her clean, happy and well fed. This is Lydia, now seventy-one years old, and living alone, but for the beloved spirits of Newel and her children who often visit her in dreams and visions. She has earned her present peace and rest, and today, as it passes, is but the one link less between her and her longed-for eternal home within her beloved husband. But it is a very golden link, for it is gilded with precious blessings and privileges but few mortals enjoy. She blesses and is blessed. 

And here let us leave her, with the prayer to know and greet her when we shall be united on the glorious resurrection day!

Sister Walker — Probably Sarah or Abigail Walker.

Sources

Gates, Susa Young [published as Homespun, pseud.]. Lydia Knight's History. Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1883. (Link.)

Joseph Knight Family Organization, "Knight Family Photos." [Source for picture of Lydia and her biography]. Accessed February 18, 2014. (Link.)

"Lydia Goldthwaite Knight." FindAGrave, accessed February 18, 2014. (Link.)

Williams, Jan Jansak and Larea Gibbons Strebe, "Lydia Knight: 'God Rules' Was Her Motto." Ensign, August 1977. (Link.)