Matthew Samuel Phelps Fifield

Matthew Samuel Phelps Fifield was born June 18, 1830 in New Haven, Vermont to Levi Joseph and Amy Tracy Fifield.

Early Life

The Fifield family lived in Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York for some time. At the age of 11, the Fifield family was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois in 1841 to live among the Saints.1 While in Navuoo, the family opened a Gun Smith shop.2

While in Nauvoo, the Fifield became well acquainted with Church President Joseph Smith to the point where Smith ate at the Fifield home and vice versa. On one occasion, Smith hid himself in the Fifield garden from some officers.2 The Fifields were present at the point when Joseph went to Carthage Jail and returned dead.1

In 1845, Matthew's mother died in Nauvoo.

Trek West

Before the Fifield family moved west, Matthew's father joined the Mormon Battalion and left Matthew and his younger brother in Nauvoo in 1846. They lived in Nauvoo until they joined the Brigham Young Company of 1848 and left on June 5. While on the trek west, Matthew's father was returning east and they reunited on the Great Plans. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on Sep 24.1

Life in the Salt Lake Valley

The Fifield family first settled in Mill Creek, Utah before moving to Ogden, Utah. Matthew married Almira Jane Gibson on April 5, 1852 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Soon after, the Fifield family fled into southern Utah in 1857 to flee from Johnston's army in the Utah War. Matthew "was kept on what'sknown as the Detail and in the standing army I went to the relief  of the Salmon River People." After the conflict,  the Fifield family moved back to Ogden where Almira died in 1860.1

Life in Richmond

The Fifield family moved to Richmond soon after where his brother-in-law Henry E. Gibson had settled. Matthew married Rebecca Ann Hoopes who had become a widow the same year. They lived in Richmond until 1863 when they were called by the Church to help settle Bear Lake County, Idaho.1

Epilogue