SARAH LESTER VAN SCHOONHOVEN

By Claudia Spencer Sadler

Sarah (the 2^nd wife of Daniel Spencerwas born in Great Barrington, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts on January 3, 1805. Her parents were Lucretia and Silas Lester. Sarah was the third child born in a family of five. When Sarah was twenty, she married Garret Van Schoonhaven and they moved to Albany, New York. In Albany she gave birth to a son Gilbert Henry, August 2, 1828. While living in Albany, her husband died, and Sarah returned to her home with her son to live with her family in Great Barrington. At age 29, Sarah was married to Daniel (age 40) on June 30, 1834 in West Stock bridge. She took care of Daniel’s son, Claudius Victor (age 10.) by a previous marriage, and her son Gilbert or Gib as he was called (age 6). During the winter of 1838, a Mormon elder named Stephen Burnham came to West Stockbridge to preach. Daniel was Chairman of the School Board and he obtained the schoolroom for the Mormon missionary to preach. Following the meeting the elder announced he was traveling 1300 miles from home without purse or script and asked if anyone would give him lodgings. After a long silence Daniel arose and said, "I will entertain you sir, for humanity sake." It was Daniel’s custom to give free quarters to preachers of all denominations and generally housed them in his hotel but this time he took Elder Burnham to his own home. Upon leaving the next morning, the missionary was clothed from head to foot with a good suit of broadcloth from the shelves of Daniel’s store. Two months later the missionary returned. Daniel observed the persecution from preachers and other professing Christians resolved to investigate Mormonism and the reasons for such antagonism. Elder Burnham left some books at his home, and for two weeks Daniel closed his store and refused to do business with anyone. One day when Claudius was in the study with him he suddenly burst into a flood of tears and exclaimed My God, the thing is true, and as a honest man I must embrace it; but it will cost me all I have got on earth." Sarah did not join her husband in baptism at this time. Daniel baptized her a short time later in 1839. By April 19, 1840, there were enough members for Elder Franklin D. Richards and Elder Burnham to organize a branch of the Church at West Stockbridge. Sarah attended this Branch along with her sister, Louisa and her husband Daniel Hendrix, who were also converted by Daniel. The family had made preparations and moved to Nauvoo in June 1842. They hired teams to drive them to Albany, New York, then went by canal boat on the Erie Canal-to Buffalo and by steamboat to Chicago. From Chicago, they hired teams to drive them to Nauvoo. They succeeded in disposing most of the property in Massachusetts at full value and took with them, among other items, a stock of broadcloth and satinet to help set up a mercantile business in Nauvoo. When they arrived in Nauvoo, Daniel built a two story brick home on the east side of the Public Square on Block 11 Lot #2, previously purchased by his brother Orson. They set up a mercantile store in the front part of Orson’s home and the three brothers, Daniel, Orson and Hiram bought two pieces of land for farming. The first was located in Section 6 (160 acres), six miles east of town. The other was located in Section 9 (200 acres) three miles north of Section 6. They built a farmhouse and shared in profits made from the farm. Sarah kept herself busy helping on the farm where they grew wheat and oats to sell, onions, peas, beets, lettuce, potatoes, turnips and corn. She had a vegetable garden next to their home in Nauvoo along with a chicken coop to care for. Daniel was kept busy selling farm products, hauling and selling wood and stone. They also rented spare rooms in their home. While in Nauvoo, Sarah did baptisms in the Mississippi River for her deceased family members, but her early death deprived her of doing any temple work for them or herself. When Daniel returned from his Indian Mission, he suffered from ague (malaria) and had a fever for four weeks from which he only partially recovered. After nursing him, Sarah became ill, and after eight days died. Sarah (age 40) died October 1, 1845, leaving Mary Leone (age 2). In the evening of January 16, 1846, Daniel went to the Nauvoo Temple with his niece Mary Spencer to have Sarah sealed to him. The ceremony took place at 11:40 p.m. with Heber C. Kimball officiating and Ezra Taft Benson and Hiram Spencer as witnesses. Mary acted as proxy for Sarah Lester. On the evening of January 31, 1846 Daniel went to the Nauvoo Temple with Gilbert (age 18), Claudius (age 22) and Mary Leone (age 2). Gilbert was adopted and sealed to Daniel with Daniel’s niece Mary Spencer acting as proxy for Sarah. Mary Leone and Claudius were sealed in the same ceremony, which took place at 10:00 p.m. with Brigham Young officiating and Heber C. Kimball and Hiram Spencer as witnesses.