Rosalie Elvira Perry Tippets
Rosalie was born to Gustavus Adolphus and Eunice Wing Perry, in November 1839. The exact date is not known. Her parents were living in Lewis, Essex County, New York. She had an older brother Orrin Alonzo bom 11 September 1817. Most likely they, like everyone else, didn't have much and worked hard on the farm to have food to eat. Her other brothers and sisters are Amanda Melvina born 11 September 1821, Lorenzo born 8 May 1824, Henry Elisha born 14 August 1827, Cornelia born and died about 1830 all in New York. Lucy was Ann born 20 May 1839 in Illinois.
When Rosalie was about eleven years old the family had an interesting experience that was hard to forget. Close to the year 1830 (we do not know the exact date) one dark and stormy night the family was gathered in the kitchen getting ready to go to bed. The front door opened and an old man with a long flowing beard came into the room. It was a stormy night, but there was no sign of rain on his clothing. He said, "God bless you," and asked for food and a bed for the night. Although they were very poor and had little food they gave him food and shelter. When he came in he had a knapsack on his back, in which was a little puppy, which he gave to the children to play with. During the evening he took from his pocket a book from which he read to them, telling them that it would soon come forth and told them to get one at the first opportunity. When he left the next morning he promised them that they would never want for bread, which promise was literally fulfilled. That very next day, a man who owed them some money, asked if they would take wheat for the debt. Although it was broad daylight none of the neighbors saw him leave and no tracks could be found in the freshly fallen snow.
So when Gustavaus' cousin John Harvey Tippets came to their home to show them a book he had discovered they were very interested. It was a Book of Mormon. The parents read it and liked what they read. When Mormon Missionaries came to the area they were ready to be taught. In 1832 the family was baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A branch of the church was organized in Lewis.
They were anxious to meet Joseph Smith and be with other members of the church. Soon the family left for Kirtland, where her father worked on the Kirtland Temple. They lived there for a short time before they moved to Caldwell County, Missouri, where they stayed for a short time.. Her father bought property there.
On 1 January 1837 when she was 16 years of age, she married Joseph Harrison Tippets. He was 23. They were second cousins. Her Grandmother Betsy Tippets Perry was a sister to his father, Joseph Tippets IV. They bought property in Clinton County for $150. They lived here for two years. Their first son Joseph Mahonri was born 15 September 1838. The angry mobs drove them from their home.
With them were two other Tippets families and her father's family. A farm had some empty houses they were able to rent. Thinking they could settle there, Harrison bought 30 acres and built a house. It was about 16 miles east of Quincy, Illinois.
They needed to be in a branch of the church, so they moved to a place about 4 miles from Ramus and 5 miles from Carthage. Here she had another baby, a girl they named Caroline Cornelia 5 June 1840.
Rosalie died in December 1841 at the age of 24. She was buried at Nauvoo. Her husband married her younger sister to care for the children.