LIFE STORY OF BETSY MEAD McBRIDE

Betsy Mead was born 6 February 1802 in Chester, Washington, New York, the eighth of 12 children born to her parents Isaac Mead and Deborah Mead (her parents were second cousins).

Betsy was married to James McBride in 1818, probably in York, Livingston, New York. Beginning in 1821 and for the next 19 years she gave birth to 8 children. On 5 May 1829, Betsy lost her fifth child, Roxena, who was only about 4 months old.

On 13 June 1833 Betsy was baptized into the LDS Church in Villanova, Chautauqua, New York by Amasa M. Lyman. Her husband James was baptized 3 days later. Several other members of the McBride family living nearby joined the Church at this time.

In order to gather with other Latter-day Saints, Betsy moved with her family first to Kirtland, Ohio in 1837, then, due to persecution, to Missouri in 1838, and then, again on account of persecution during the winter of 1838/1839, to Illinois. Her husband became ill during the spring of 1839 and was unable to work. He died on 13 August 1839 in Pike County, Illinois. Five months later Betsy gave birth to her eighth and last child. She remained unmarried for the last 42 years of her life.

In the spring of 1841 Betsy located her family in Iowa on the west bank of the Mississippi River about 4 miles from Nauvoo. Here she remained until the Saints were driven across Iowa in 1846 to the Missouri River. On 14 May 1845 Betsy received a Patriarchal Blessing at the hands of John Smith. In the fall of 1845 Betsy’s son Reuben learned of the family’s preparations to go West the following year. Dissatisfied with Mormonism, he left home for Missouri. Despite mounting persecution, Betsy and her family remained faithful. On 27 January 1846 Betsy was endowed in the Nauvoo Temple, the same day as her mother-in-law Abigail Mead McBride, shortly before her family commenced their trek West.

In the spring of 1846 Betsy and part of her family headed West under the leadership of Brigham Young. (Reuben had left for Missouri and George stayed behind until the fall of 1846 to work as a cook on a riverboat steamer.) Betsy’s family suffered miserably in the trek across Iowa. When they were about 30 miles from the Missouri River, Betsy’s son Harlum enlisted in the Mormon Battalion, leaving Betsy and her family with barely enough provisions to last 5 months.

Betsy located in a grove near the Missouri River called Davis Camp, 3 miles north of what was later called Kanesville. Here her sons James and Oliver built a log cabin and put up hay to feed their stock. By the first of December 1846, the family’s provisions were almost gone. The nearest place in Missouri where more provisions could be obtained was about 75 miles away, although they had no money to buy food. James and Oliver hitched up 2 yoke of oxen and started for Missouri. The weather was very cold and they decided to stay in a place called Iris Grove, where they got work gathering corn. In 2 weeks they had earned a load of corn and returned home. The next year the family planted a crop of corn and raised enough for a year’s provision.

In the spring of 1847, Betsy’s mother-in-law, Abigail Mead McBride, emigrated to Utah. The following spring her sons George and Oliver left for Utah, leaving behind Betsy and 3 children: Henrietta, James, and Nathaniel.

Betsy crossed the plains in company with her daughter, Henrietta McBride, and her sons, James and Nathaniel, in 1851. Which company they traveled in is not presently known. They started for the Salt Lake Valley with 1 wagon, 1 yoke of oxen, and 2 yoke of cows. They had traveled about 150 miles when their cattle stampeded. They lost their oxen and a cow so that they had to leave their wagon behind. Another man in the company lost part of his oxen. Betsy’s family hitched their cows with his oxen and continued on. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in the fall of 1851.

In Utah, Betsy briefly made her first home in Farmington, Davis, Utah. She then lived for some time in Springville, Utah, Utah and then finally in Hyrum, Cache, Utah, where she passed away. Betsy was residing in Hyrum when she received a second Patriarchal Blessing on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1870, at the hands of John Smith.

The year 1858 was a tragic one for Betsy, for in that year she lost 2 of her sons. Her son George McBride, who, along with her son-in-law Gilbert Belnap, had been called to serve as a missionary in the Salmon River Mission at Fort Lemhi in Idaho, was killed while on his mission on 25 February 1858 during an Indian raid of Fort Lemhi. In November 1858 her son Nathaniel Knight McBride died in Springville.

Betsy Mead McBride died on 8 October 1881 in Hyrum. She was buried in the Hyrum Cemetery. Her obituary stated: “She was a woman of integrity and truth and died in full faith of the hope of Israel. Sister McBride had 8 children, 34 grand children, and 53 great grand children, many of whom now live to bless and to perpetuate her name.”

(Written by Brent J. Belnap. Submitted on behalf of the Belnap Family Organization to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers in 1995.)

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Name: Betsy Mead McBride

Born: 6 February 1802, Chester, Washington, New York

Died: 8 October 1881, Hyrum, Cache, Utah

Parents: Isaac Mead and Deborah Mead

Pioneer Arrival: 1851

Company: Unknown company (by wagon)

Spouse: James McBride

Married: 1818, probably York, Livingston, New York

Spouse’s Death: 13 August 1839, Pike County, Illinois

Children: 1. Henrietta McBride, born 1 September 1821

2. Reuben D. McBride, born 12 December 1822

3. Harlum McBride, born 8 December 1824

4. George McBride, born 21 December 1826

5. Roxena McBride, born January 1829

6. James McBride, born 17 November 1830

7. Oliver Stephen McBride, born 29 August 1835

8. Nathaniel Knight McBride, born 13 January 1840

Other Spouse: None