Janet Mauretta (Johnson) Smith (1848 - 1933)

Born 17 Dec 1848 in Millcreek, Salt Lake, Utah

Ancestors

Wife of Jesse Nathaniel Smith Sr. — married 9 Oct 1866 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City, Utah

Descendants

Died 21 May 1933 at age 84 in Snowflake, Navajo, Arizona

Name: Janet Mauretta Johnson Spouse: Jesse N. Smith Birth Date: 17 Dec 1848 Birth Place: Mill Creek, UT Death Date: 21 May 1933 Death Place: Snowflake, AZ Pioneer: before 1869 Chapter: Brigham Young Donor: Oliver R. Smith, F. Org. ^[1]

Janet was born Dec. 17, 1848 in Salt Lake City, six weeks after her parents reached Salt Lake Valley. Her mother, Janet Fife Johnson, joined the Church with her parents in Scotland; her father was of New England descent. Her great-grandfather Ezekiel Johnson gave his life for his country at Bunker Hill. Her grandfather, also Ezekiel, pioneered the area where Chicago now stands. Her father, Joel Hills Johnson, one of Utah's most active colonizers, helped to build up 11 different places, so Janet had a natural heritage rich in courage, thrift, and industry.

Since her father always lived on the frontier, opportunity for schooling in book learning was very limited, but her training in pioneer life was very effective, and she early learned to do all household tasks, to card, spin, and weave. She wove all the cloth for her trousseau—even her wedding dress.

She was married to Jesse N. Smith Oct. 9, 1866, and spent her early married life in Parowan, Utah. That the principle of plural marriage can be lived on a holy plane was demonstrated when Janet labored most diligently with her husband's first wife and daughters to support the family while her husband filled a second mission to Denmark.

When Jesse N. Smith was called to make a new home in Arizona he took Janet and her five little girls to pioneer the way. It was a trial for her to leave home, parents, friends, and all things endeared by lifelong associations, having buried two children at Parowan. They reached Snowflake Jan. 16, 1879 after six weary weeks of mid-winter travel. During that first year in Snowflake they lived in a wagon box.

His five loving and devoted wives bore him forty-four children. Thirteen of those children were from Janet; twelve of those were girls. Janet learned the millinery game from braided straw to finished hat. She wove and sold hundreds of yards of carpet and rugs, made tallow candles and soap, half-soled shoes, knitted stockings, and made children's clothes. She was an expert gardener. Her beautiful flowers were always in evidence. Janet Smith served over thirty years as nurse, midwife, and doctor to the whole community.

A woman of outstanding faith, she was active in Church and taught her children not only habits of thrift, industry, and helpfulness, but featured also the great spiritual values.

Janet died in Snowflake May 21, 1933. It was said of her at her funeral “She always manifested a deep respect for her husband and the family. Her husband to her was the greatest man on earth.”

Sources

Find A Grave: Memorial #19435679

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KW86-NCD?1=1&spouse=KWCX-4KH

1. ↑ Card index created by the Sons of Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, Utah.