Mary Duty was born 11 October 1743 in Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States to Moses Duty (1700-1778) and Mary Palmer (1717-1763) and died 27 May 1836 Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio, United States of unspecified causes. She married Asael Smith (1744-1830) 12 February 1767 in Topsfield, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States.
Biography
Smith Family Grave in Kirtland Ohio
In addition to her grandson, Joseph Smith Jr, being the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, many, many others of her direct descendants would assume prominent roles in the new church. Mary Duty herself, followed the church from New York to their settlement in Kirtland, Ohio where she died.
Mary Duty and Asael Smith were the parents of 11 children. The first three were born in the town of their marriage, Topsfield, MA, the fourth in Windham, NH and the remainder in Derryfield, NH.
Visit to Kirtland
Wife of Asael Smith, parents of eleven children. Mother of Joseph Smith, Sr. Memorial in North Kirtland Cemetery, exact burial location unknown in this cemetery. In the History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 442 - 3, Joseph Smith wrote, "I went in company with my brother Hyrum, in a carriage to Fairport, and brought home my grandmother, Mary Smith, aged ninety-three years. She had not been baptized, on account of the opposition of Jesse Smith, her eldest son, who has always been an enemy to the work. She had come five hundred miles to see her children, and knew all of us she had ever seen. She was much pleased at being introduced to her great grand-children, and expressed much pleasure and gratification on seeing me….On May 27, after a few days' visit with her children, which she enjoyed extremely well, my grandmother fell asleep without sickness, pain or regret. She breathed her last about sunset, and was buried in the burial ground near the Temple, after a funeral address had been delivered by Sidney Rigdon. She had buried one daughter, Sarah; two Sons, Stephen and Samuel; and her husband, who died October 30, 1830, and left five sons and three daughters still living. At the death of my grandfather, who had kept a record, there were one hundred and ten children, grand children and great grand children."
In the Messenger and Advocate - June 1836, p. 336
Genealogical Record of George
Genealogical Record of George A Smith, grandson of Mary Duty and Asael Smith:
George A. Smith the son of John Smith and Clarissa Lyman, and the father of Charles Warren Smith, was born and raised in Potsdam, St Lawrence County, New York. His grandfather Asae1 and wife Mary Duty, and three sons Jessie, Asael, and Silas were living in Stockholm, 12 miles distance, when grandfather Asael received a letter from his son Joseph Smith Sr. stating that his son, Joseph, had several remarkable visions. Receiving this news the old gentleman said, that he always knew that God was going to raise up some branch of his family to be a great benefit to mankind.
When George A. was in his 12th year in August 1828, Uncle Joseph Smith Sr. and son, Don Carlos, visited all of his father, Asael's children and their families, and brought copies of the Book of Mormon to them. He visited his brother John first, who took him in his carriage to visit their father, Asael, who was in his 88th year and quite feeble. On receiving the Book of Mormon the old gentleman read the book nearly through without the aid of glasses before he died and had said: “It is of God.”
While they were gone George A. and his mother busied themselves with reading the Book of Mormon. George A. listed a number of points to disprove the book and show his uncle Joseph the error of his claims, but on his return Uncle Joseph was able to answer them so convincingly and with such power, that George A. never again doubted the Divine Origin of the Book of Mormon.
His mother was the first member of the family to accept the Gospel and was baptized in September 1831. His father, John, who had been quite indisposed for many months and hadn't been able to walk as far as his barn, was baptized by Elder S. Humprey, 9 January 1832. George A. writes “The day was bitter cold, when I cut the ice in the creek, and broke a road for forty rods through the crust of two feet of snow, and helped him to the creek to be baptized. That night Father had a vision of the Savior entering his room and looking upon him with a smile. The next day Father visited his barn.”
George A. was baptized on the 10 September 1832, by Elder Joseph H. Wakefield and confirmed by Elders Soloman Humphrey and J. H. Wakefield.
After joining the church the family suffered so much persecution that they decided to join the Saints in Kirtland, Ohio. In the spring of 1833, John sold his farm and bought two covered wagons with two horses each and with his family which consisted of the father and the mother, daughter, Caroline, 13 years, John Lyman, 10 years and George A., 16 years old, they started on their journey to Kirtland. They arrived May 25, 1833.
They were heartily welcomed by Joseph, the Prophet. It was the first time George A.had seen his cousin, Joseph, and he was greatly impressed with him and from that time, Joseph's friends were his friends and Joseph's enemies were his enemies.
Children
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Moses Duty (1742-1836) | |||
| Mary Duty (1743-1836) | 11 October 1743 Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States | 27 May 1836 Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio, United States | Asael Smith (1744-1830) |
| Eunice Duty (1745-1836) | |||
| Mark Duty (1747-1783) | 16 October 1747 Rowley, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States | 1783 | Abigail Woodbury (1746-1774) |
| William Duty (1749-1812) | |||
| Sarah Duty (1753-1767) | |||
| Hannah Duty (1755-1836) | |||
References
- Joseph Smith Sr Family Organization - Genealogical Association in son's name
- Find A Grave Memorial #17916522 - Gravestone for Mary Duty Smith