THIRD WIFE: Harriet Frances Noon Smith

Harriet Frances Noon Smith Forsgren Harrington

Known to many as "Aunt Hattie"

(We are indebted to Dean Buck, great great grandson of Harriet for supplying this wonderful photo

to replace the grainey one I had from her obituary). 

Obituary: Deseret Evening News - Wed., June 26, 1912 p. 9

"AMERICAN FORK - INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF MRS. HARRINGTON

     American Fork, June 24 - Harriet Francis Noon Harrington, who died here recently, was the daughter of William Spencer and Sarah Perry [She is listed as Sarah Perry rather than Peak on Harriet's Christening entry] Noon. She was born in Tunstall, Staffordshire, England, Dec 5, 1829 and emigrated to America in 1841. She was baptized a few days before sailing from her native land by Elder Wilford Woodruff.  She arrived in Nauvoo July 1, 1841 and was married to David Smith in May, 1846. She came to Salt Lake valley in 1848, arriving in September of that year. Four years later she was left a widow by the accidental death of her husband. She was married to Bishop Leonard E[lsworth] Huntington [Harrington] of American Fork [as a plural wife], by President Brigham Young May 21, 1859. Mrs. Harrington passed through all the trials and tribulations incident to pioneer life. She was the mother of nine children, five of whom are living.

     She was always happy in telling of the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith, often recalling his death and the excitement incident thereto at Nauvoo. While she and her sister Betsy were quite young their mother married President Heber C. Kimball, with whom the girls lived during their childhood. Mrs. Harrington never tired of telling how kind President Kimball was to her as a child.

     Besides her children the deceased leaves a sister, Mrs. Betsy Lawson of Hunter, Salt Lake County, 21 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren."

[Note:  I did not find an obituary in either the Provo Herald or the weekly American Fork paper published at the time.  Searches made in Sept. 2004]

One source listed in newFamily Search gives birth data as 5 Dec. 1830, Old Staunton, Stratford, London, England.

CHRISTENING: England & Wales Christening Records [ancestry.com]
Name: Harriet Frances Noon
Gender: Female
Birth Date: abt 1831
Christening Date: 29 May 1831
Christening Place: Wolstanton, Staffordshire, England
Father's Name: William Spencer Noon
Mother's Name: Sarah Perry

IMMIGRATION: New York Passenger Lists, [ancestry.com]
Name: Harriet Noon
Arrival Date: 20 Apr 1841
Birth Year: abt: 1830
Age: 11
Gender: Female
Port of Departure:Liverpool, England
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Rochester
[Traveling with W M Noon, age 35, farmer; Sarah Noon, age 31, and Betsy Noon, age 6]

MARRIAGE #1:  Harriett married David Smith in May 1846 in Nauvoo, Illinois.  Entries in new Family Search for their children are very curious. 

• Almira Adela Robinson (listed also as Almira Adela Smith and Almira Adeliah (Della) Smith and Alvira Adella Smith Robinson.  Birth dates also vary:  abt. 1847, Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa and 22 August 1851 in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Death either 2 or 3 October 1883, American Fork, Utah.  She was married to George Heber Robinson.  She apparently became blind and was living with her mother in the 1880 Census.  She is listed as Adella S on her headstone in American Fork Cemetery [see findagrave.com and search under Robinson, Adella S)
• Alvin Smith born abt 1848, Deseret, Salt Lake, Utah.  Died about 1860 in Utah
• David Thomas Smith or Thomas David Smith, born 8 August 1849 in either Salt Lake or Kaysville, Utah.  Died 15 Apr 1927 in American Fork, Utah.  Married to Sarah Elizabeth Peet with whom he had 6 children
•      A fourth child is listed in new Family Search:  Laura Vilate Smith, or Laura Vilate Smith Steele born 13 Mar 1856 in Salt Lake City. This child is listed with Harriet on her headstone.   However if David  Smith died in 1852 he could not have fathered this child.  Harriet Frances Noon Smith had been married to/sealed to John Erik Forsgren in 1854 as is shown in the sealing records.  He is likely  Laura's father.   John's marriage to Harriet did not last.  Harriet returned with her children to live with her mother in the Kimball household.  She would probably have still gone by the name of Harriet Smith so this child - who would either have been born out of wedlock or fathered by John E. Forsgren whom she did not want to be with - would have given her the surname Smith.  Johanna Catherine Timerman, daughter of John E's wife Kiersten Johnson, in her deposition to the War Dept, Feb. 15, 1893 p. 15 states "he had only one child by this wife."   There is a statement on findagrave.com on Laura's entry showing that others are of the opinion as well that she is really John E. Forsgren's child.  [NOTE: see more information below about her marriage to John E. Forsgren.]
•      I do not know why Laura is listed in FamilySearch alternately as Laura Vilate Smith Steele.  There is no husband connected to her in the system.  She died at age 18 years and 7 months of "affection of the heart, caused by rheumatism and lameness" in 1874 (not 1873 as is shown on her headstone and in most genealogical records).   Deseret News, Wednesday, 21 October 1874 

David Smith's "accidental death" as noted in Harriet's obituary was the result of a horse accident. Dean Buck, Harriet's gggrandson commented that David Smith was seen leaving town with a team of horses and did not return that night.  His body was found the next day.   David is buried in the Kimball-Whitney Cemetery which is located behind the Deseret Apts. on Main Street just east of the LDS Conference Center.  An entry in the Journal History says:  "Smith, David was accidentally killed in a runaway by his horses.  Funeral - held on the 22nd."   [source:  J.H. 1852, Jan 19, 22, p. 1]   A small note in the Deseret News, Jan 24, 1852 p. 3 states:  "Found Dead - Tuesday morning, last, brother David Smith, on the prairie between his house and Kay's kanyon.  It would appear that he had some trouble with his horses, probaly [sic] fell from his seat, and was severely kicked and bruised.  This is all we have heard."

IMMIGRATION TO SALT LAKE: There is a data discrepancy: The records of the Heber C. Kimball Company (1848) which departed Winter Quarters on 7 June 1848 show her coming across the plains as Harriet F. Noon.... not Harriet Smith.  If she married David Smith in May of 1846 that would be two years worth of being known as Sister or Mrs. Smith - not still being known as Harriet F. Noon. (See: http://lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneercompanysearch/1,15773,3966-1,00.html).

There is a David Smith coming with the William Snow company in 1850 but there is no David Smith in the company with Harriet. When she comes with her mother (Sarah Peak Noon Kimball) and stepfather (Heber C. Kimball) she is listed as being only 18 years of age. Was she really only 16 when she married David Smith? If they were married why did he not come with her to S.L.?

The Kimball Monument.  The tablet in front on the ground lists the name of David Smith

Again, we are indebted to Dean Buck for supplying us with this additional data on Harriet's first husband, David Smith



The Kimball Cemetery is located behind the Deseret Apt. building on Main St.
Notice the large stone in front which bears the following plaque:

MARRIAGE #2 Harriet's marriage to John Erik Forsgren on 17 July 1854 (just three months after he was sealed to Sarah Bell Davis) was also performed by Heber Chase Kimball.  In the Journal History of the Church an entry is recorded 17 Jul 1854: "Monday, July 17. Pres. Heber C. Kimball sealed David Smith's widow to John E. Forsgren." (Copy in possess of Fors Fam Assn.)  It was not an ordinary day since she was also sealed to David Smith on that date.  I suspect this marriage was one of the "take care of this young widow [his step-daughter whom he no doubt loved and cared about] and her children" kinds of plural marriages that existed in early Utah.  But John E. was not known for actually being able to care very well for his wives which probably led to the brevity of this marriage.   I do not know if there was a formal divorce from John Erik Forsgren.  A quote in a book about homes in Brigham City by UofU Architectural Dept. makes the statement that "both of John Erik's wives filed for divorce in 1858.  There is no footnote given to document that statement and there is no entry on the sealing information itself as is true for some other records. 
      [UPDATE note Feb. 2018:   Sealing record in the Special Collections Section of the Family History Library, SLC:  John Erick Forssgren, born 7 Nov 16 in Jefle Sweden and Harriet Francis Noon w. of David Smith dd (deceased) born 5 Dec 29 Tunstall, Stafford England sealed in Old Deseret Legislative Room 17 July 1854 at 8:30 a.m. by HCK (Heber C. Kimball)  and witnessed by Stephen Winchester and TB (Thomas Bullock)   This sealing took place BEFORE the opening of the Endowment House.    I wondered what exactly the Old Deseret Legislative Room was.  I found the following on the Church History Museum site:
      "The Council House, started in 1849 and completed in 1850, was the first public building in Utah.  Its functions varied over the years.  The territorial legislature met here;  the territorial public library was here; endowments were given here; and the University of Deseret occupied the building for a number of years.  It was finally destroyed by fire in 1883."]

[Just an interesting note to add.  John E and wife Sarah Bell were sent to Carson Valley by Brigham Young some time after Feb. 1856.  It was there in Oct 1856 that their son John Heber was born.  Five months later, also in Carson Valley, on 16 March 1857, a son was born to Betsy (Elizabeth Ann) Noon Lawson.  She is the younger sister of Harriet Noon Smith.  Harriet's "mystery daughter" Laura Vilate was born in March of 1856 just a month after Heber Kimball reported the following to his son in a letter:  “I suppose that one hundred and fifty or two hundred of the brethren have been hanging round, with the Council House filled to the brim. This scenery continuing for a long time, one day brother Brigham sent Thomas Bullock to take their names, for the purpose of giving them missions, if they had not anything to do of more importance ... John Forsgreen is going to Carson. These are all good men but they need to learn a lesson.”  It is possible that Harriet might also have spent some time in Carson with her sister. . . and remotely with John E.   Was this the cause of the break-up of the marriage of John E. and Sarah Bell?   One of John E's granddaughters stated that Sarah learned of John's trip to S.L. to be sealed to this wife and never forgave him  (see the blog post for Sarah Bell Davis)...nor apparently did John's and Sarah's son Charles William!  Was John really able to take care of two families or homes?    The time in Carson City was short for all of them.  They were called home at the approach of Johnson's Army and both John and Sarah's and Betsy Lawsons next children were born back in Utah.]

MARRIAGE #3:  Harriet married Leonard Elsworth Harrington 31 May 1859 in Salt Lake City

Leonard Elsworth Harrington 1816-1883

Mayor (for 29 years!) of American Fork,  its first Bishop, postmaster,

member of the Utah Legislature, Trustee of B.Y. Academy and promoter

of American Fork's first free school 

    There is a nice biographical sketch of Leonard Harrington in the LDS Biographical Encyclopedia which is quoted on his site at findagrave.com.   He appears to have made great contributions to Utah as a whole and particularly to American Fork and Utah County.  He is also buried in the American Fork Cemetery.  The Forsgren Family Assn. also has in its possession the transcription Leonard's handwritten journal which was published in the Utah Historical Quarterly, vol. VIII, 1940.

     I have not researched the descendants of Harriet's marriage to Leonard Harrington. They are readily found on the Church website, newFamily Search:

• Heber Adelman Harrington 1860-1938 (twin)
• Harriett Anna (known as "Hattie" Harrington 1860-1901 (twin)
• Leonard Spencer Harrington, 1867-1959
• John Milton Harrington, 1868-1868
• Chauncey Delos Harrington, 1870-1927
• Ida Ann Harrington, 1872-1936

The following short biographical sketch was prepared by Relva Booth Ross, Camp historian of the DUP American Fork Camp.  It was read at their meeting on Oct. 14, 1954.  I do not know if Relva Ross is a descendant of Harriet Harrington.

HARRIET FRANCES NOON SMITH HARRINGTON

     Harriet Frances Noon Smith Harrington, wife of Bishop Leonard E. harrington, was born in Tunstall, Staffordshire, England, 5 December 1829, a daughter of William Spence and Sarah Perry Peake Noon.  Her mother joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and brought her two little girls to America in 1841 on the ship Rochester.  They landed in New York May 20, and arrived in Nauvoo July 1.  Harriet had also been baptised in April before leaving England.

     Sometime after arriving in Nauvoo, Harriet's mother was married to Heber C. Kimball as his second wife, so she was raised in the Kimball home and remaine there until her marriage.  She was married to David Smtih by whom she had three children:  David, born 8 August 1849, died in American Fork 15 April 1927;  Della, born 18651, Salt Lake City, Married George Heber Robinson, died 3 October 1883 in American Fork; Laura Vilate, born 13 March 1856, Salt Lake City, died 13 October 1873 in American Fork.  After the death of her husband, Harriet Smith returned to the home of her mother and Heber C. Kimball.

     When American Fork was first settled in 1850, a large tract of land was surveyed for Heber C. Kimball who sent Leonard E. Harrington to look after his interests.  Leonard became the first mayor and the first bishop of American Fork.  While on one trip toSalt Lake City, Brother Kimball suggested to Bishop Harrington that he take the Widow Smith for a wife.  In his Journal, the bishop writes:  "On the last day of May 1859, Harriet F. Smith, widow of David Smith, was sealed to me by President Brigham Young.  She had three children, one boy and two girls, at the time of our marriage."

     The next year, 17 March 1860, Harriet gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, whom she named Heber A. and harriet Noon.  Other children born to her were Leonard Spencer, born Jan. 10, 1867; John M., born 3 January 1868, died the same day;  Chauncey Delos, born 27 May 1869, and Ida A., born 17 January 1872.  harriet, who was always called "Hattie" died 14 March 1901;  Delos died 27 April 1927, in Ogden;  Ida died 2 December 1936, in American Fork, and Heber A. died 11 May 1938 in San Francisco, Calif.  Leonard S., who in now (1954) 86 years old, is the only one of the family left.

     She was a woman of small stature with brown hair.  During the first years in American Fork she lived in the adobe house on the Harrington lot which had been used as a postoffice, but now had two rooms added to it.  Later her son Heber and his father built the big two story adobe house on the corner of first south and first east, south of the tabernacle.  This was her home for many years but the last few years of her life were spent in the home of her son, David Smith.

     Like most pioneer wives and mothers, her home and her children occupied her life and she did almost nothing in a church or civic way.  She died 11 June 1912.

I want to interject an observation of my own.  This last statement seems very telling.  I have read all 65 pages of Leonard Harrington's personal journal.  He was an amazing man, very literate, devoted and kind.  He was also very much in love with his first wife Lois Russell.  The journal makes only one reference to Harriet in all those pages...and that is when he notes that Brigham Young sealed Harriet to him.  He commented that she was the widow of David Smith and already had three children (not named).  He next states that the following year she was delivered of a pair of twins, a boy and a girl.  He does not give their names or exact dates of birth.   He never mentions in the whole rest of his journal when any other of her children are born although he documents meticulously every birth of a child with Lois.  There are one or two places in the journal that reference his wives (plural) in attendance at something, but it is very evident that Lois was "the main wife".  I have no doubt but that he provided very well for Harriet and her children and must have even loved them.  But he was a very busy man and Lois is the one who accompanied him to civic and church functions.   I suspect that Harriet quietly kept her place and preferred to never make a public splash.    

     The journal refers to a four-year absence of Lois and her three youngest children when they went with Lois' brother to California to visit relatives.  There is no indication that the absense was for any reason other than exactly what it was: a visit.  When they return he goes to meet them in Ogden and expresses great joy at their return.   What one reads between the lines is that he must have spent more time with Harriet during Lois' absence since three of her children were products of that time period.  There are no references to "my wife and I" in connection with other events during those years so one is only left to conjecture if Harriet actually stepped into the roll of hostess or social partner while Lois was away.   Harriet DID have her hands full caring for two daughters with illnesses (Laura and Della).  My comments are not intended to cast a dark shadow on any of these people; it is merely to state my observations.   There seems to be nothing but great respect for all parties mentioned and a loyalty to Church, country and the whole colonization and burgeoning growth of "Lake City" which later became American Fork.



I have been trying to contact other descendants of the Harringtons to see if they could shed further light on the children and marriages of Harriet as well as provide a fuller life history.

HARRIET'S SCHOOLING IN NAUVOO:  Lyman D. Plat's work on Nauvoo schools (located at the following site:

http://www.mormonhistoricsitesfoundation.org/publications/nj_1989/Platt3.pdf )  lists the following:

SUSANNAH WHITE,
Schedule of a common school kept by Susannah White at township six north, range nine west, city of
Nauvoo. There were fifty students attending this school during all or part of the period running from 29 June I842 to 30 December 1842. The students were the following: 
. . . . Brigham Young, Heber Kimball, Harriet Noon, Betsy Noon [Harriet's younger sister]. . . .

CENSUSES:
1850 Census of Great Salt Lake, Utah Territory family #3 [ancestry.com]
Smith, David, age 29, laborer, born England
Smith, Harriet, age 21, born England
Smith, Alvin, age 2, male, born Des[eret]
Smith, David, age 1, male, born Des

1856 Statehood Census.  This census was taken to help provide a record of inhabitants of the territory for application for statehood.  Its accuracy is very suspect.  It appears names were supplied (perhaps to inflate the numbers?) of people who were not actually residing there at the time or had not yet arrived in the valley.   It was indexed by Accelerated Indexing systems and that index appears on ancestry.com.  It is full of errors as I have double-checked it against the actual handwritten pages on microfilm.  This provides an interesting insight to the names however!  In the 16th ward in Great Salt Lake City, all listed on page 445 are the following:
Fosgreen, Almira      
Fosgreen, Betsey A
Fosgreen, David
Fosgreen, John C
Fosgreen, Sarah
No ages or relationships are given on the census, only whether they are male or female.  The AIS indexers did not always get the correct location so some names are listed as being in Weber County which is in fact what Box Elder Co. was part of before becoming its own entity.
Listed on page 1164 are a John Fosgreen and a Harriet Fosgreen
Why do I mention this?  Because the Almira and the David above are probably Harriet's children by David Smith.  The Betsey and the Sarah are probably Betsey Noon and Sarah Kimball.... all living in the same household.  Why they are all listed as Fosgreen is anyone's guess (bless those census takers!), but since I have records of all the Forsgren descendants and have no Harriet's, Betsey's or Almiras my conclusion is that this all is a reflection of Harriet's very short marriage to John E. Forsgren.  There is  a Harriet Smith listed in Lake City (American Fork) that year as well, which could have been Harriet Frances Noon Smith.   Where is Laura Vilate?  Probably still in her mother's tummy!

1860 Census of Lake City, Utah Territory [American Fork P.O.], taken 27 Sep 1860.  Harriet is not in same household as Leonard who is enumerated with his wife Lois [Russell];  the children are all listed under Herrington, Harriet F [family # 2618], but there are no ditto marks. The transcribers at ancestry.com have automatically assigned them all the last name of Herrington in the index
Herrington, Harriet F, age 29,
  Davd T, age 11, all children listed as born U.T. [Utah Territory]
  Almira A, age 9
  Laura V, age 4
  Harriet, age 6/12
  Heber, age 6/12

1870 Census of American Fork, Utah Co., Utah.
Leonard is enumerated with his wife "Louise" [Lois] as family #28; "Harret" [Harriett] and her family are next door as family #29, all listed with dittoes under Leonard's name of Harrington.
Harrington, Harret, age 35, Keeping house, born England
Harrington, David, age 21, at home, all children listed as born Utah
Harrington, Almyra, age 17, at home
Harrington, Laura, age 14, at school
Harrington, Heber, age 11, at school
Harrington, Harriette, age 11, at school
Harrington, Leonard, age 5, at school
Harrington, Delos, age 1 [listed as female] At home
Harrington, Eliza, age 60, No occupation [This is probably plural wife Eliza Brown 1810-1880 whom he married in 1869], born England
Harrington, Daniel, age 11, At School 
Harrington, Mary, age 11, At School
[ These last two children are the twins born to Leonard's wife Mary Jones who died within 24 hours after their birth.  As infants Daniel and Mary were cared for by other women in the community.  Harriet would give birth to her own twins two days later and Lois already had a large family and would soon give birth as well.  I don't know how long Daniel and Mary were in Harriet's care or when they came to live with her, or even if they did so permanently.  Daniel went on to become a lawyer and a judge and is listed in Pioneers and Prominent Men of Utah along with his father.  He is responsible for getting his father's journal published by the Utah Historical Quarterly]

1880 Census of American Fork, Utah Co., Utah. ED 88 p. 4D census taken 2 June 1880
Leonard, age 64, is still enumerated with wife Lois, three children and a servant. He is shown as farmer & postmaster living on Harrington Street. Harriett and her family live on Jackson St.
Harrington, Harriett, age 49, wife, keeping house, born England
Robinson, Addeleah, age 28, wife, blind, living with mother, born Utah
Harrington, Heber, age 20, son, born Utah, clerk in store,
Harrington, Hattie, age 20, daughter, at home, born Utah
Harrington, Leonard, age 13, son, at school, born Utah
Harrington, Delos, age 11, son, at school, born Utah
Harrington, Ida N., age 8, daughter, at school, born Utah

1900 Census of American Fork, Utah Co., District 154.
Harrington, Harriett , head, born Dec 1829 England, age 70, widow
Harrington, Ida A, daugh, born Jan 1872, Utah, single
Harrington, Chauncy D, son, born May 1870 Utah, age 30, widower, day laborer
Smith, David H, Grandson, born June 1875 Utah, single, age 24, day laborer
Harrington, Chauncy, G.son, born Apr 1896 Utah, single, age 4

1910 Census of American Fork, Utah Co., Utah ED 184, sheet 26B taken 12 May 1910. Family #495 on North 3rd East
Smith, David T., head, age 60, widower, doing odd jobs, born Utah
Smith, David H, son, age 35, single, born Utah
Harrington, Harriet F, mother, age 80, widow, born England
Harrington, Ida A., sister, age 38, single, born Utah
ORDINANCES: Sld to Heber Chase Kimball and Sarah Peak 11 Dec. 1912 SL and 24 Jan 1997 Logan Temple; Sld to Wm Spencer Noon & Sarah Peak 15 Feb 1994, Provo Temple. 

This is the home at 97 South 100 East in American Fork that was built by Leonard and their son Heber for Harriet and her family.  Originally they lived in the home on Main St. that was used as the post office, but which had two rooms added for them.  The home was originally adobe.

Photo taken January 2011 by my friend Carol Snow

Another view of the home as it is now.  I am not certain which door would have been used as the main entrance during Harriet's time.

Harriet is buried in the American Fork Cemetery. The plot is on the corner of "Harrington" St. and "Veterans" St. in the Southeast corner of the cemetery.

This is a larger view of the plot in the American Fork Cemetery which better shows its location.

The stone to the left is Ida Ann Harrington, her daughter who died at age 64 of Bright's Disease (now known more commonly as kidney disease or nephritis) and heart problems.  Ida Ann never married. [Thanks go to Dean Buck, gggrandson of Harriet Smith Harrington for this photo]

Harriet's death certificate

Ida Ann's Death Certificate