Mary Ann Huntley

Mary Ann Huntley was born March 14, 1816 in Waitsfield, Vermont to Allen and Sarah Sally Hitchcock Huntley. Her second husband is Joseph Young, older brother of Brigham Young.

Early Life

Mary's parents died when Mary was only the age of two, so her paternal grandparents Isaiah and Elizabeth Church Huntley raised her. When she became old enough, she taught school to help the family financially.3

Mary Ann Huntley married James Lewis Burnham Dec 1, 1834 in Waitsfield, Vermont. They following year, Luther Clinton Burnham was born to the family, and they moved from Waitsfield to Bureau County, Illinois.2 

Conversion and Time in Nauvoo

The Burnham family was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in May of 1843, which they soon moved from Bureau County, Illinois to Nauvoo, Illinois to be closer to the Church. While there, James was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Seventy of the Church while on his mission in 1844.1 

On Oct 8, 1845, James Lewis Burnham Jr. dead. Mary Ann Burnham, daughter of James and Mary said about the death:

"This was four days previous to my birth. This was a trying time for my mother, being left in sorrow and very destitute of worldly goods with no relatives near to help her. The saints were very good and kind to her in her affliction. Her relatives in the East would gladly have helped, sending her means to take her back, but she had cast her lot with the saints of God and preferred to remain with them in the depths of poverty than to have the wealth of the world elsewhere."2

Journey West

Travel west was not easy for the Burnham family, as Mary had to spend all her time caring for her children, and hardly spent available time to make the means to go west. After being forced to go to Winters Quarters from mob attacks in Nauvoo, she lived in the camp for about a year and a half, before the US Government forced them out because they were on Native American land. Because Mary was unable to go out west, she had to let her sons Wallace and George go west without her.

"This was a severe trial to my loving mother, but there seemed to be no other way for them to be taken care of as the saints were in the deepest poverty. I have often heard brother Luther rehearse the want and distress they had to endure, sometimes mounting to starvation. We were compelled to remain there until 1852 when through the kindness of the brethren we were enabled in June to cross the Plains arriving in Salt Lake City, October 8th, last day of conference.

"I was too young to remember much about the journey, but one circumstance impressed itself upon my mind. While climbing into the wagon, I fell and was run over by both wheels and very badly hurt, but through administration of the Elders I was almost instantly healed and felt no bad affects from the injury afterwards."2

At this time, Mary Ann married Joseph Young, older brother of Brigham Young on Feb 6, 1846 in Nauvoo, Illinois, which they had two children: Almira Myra Young and Clarentine Young.

Life in the Salt Lake Valley and Richmond

The Burnham family moved to Bountiful, Utah where Mary made hats and knitted for finances.4 The Burnham family moved to Hyde Park, Utah were Mary Ann lived for about nine years before moving to Richmond with her sons.3

Epilogue