Mary Isabella Hales

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Mary Isabella Hales

Photo Credit: Church History Library

Early Years

(From Mary Isabella Hales’ Journal):

I was born on the 20th of November, 1818, in the town of Rainham, county of Kent, England. I am the daughter of Stephen and Mary Ann Hales, and am the eldest daughter of a large family. My parents were honest, industrious people; and when very young I was taught to pray, to be honest and truthful, to be kind to my associates, and to do good to all around me. My father was of the Methodist faith, but my mother attended the Church of England. As I was religiously inclined, I attended the Methodist Church with my father, who was faithful in the performance of his religious duties, although he never became a very enthusiastic Methodist.

In the year 1832, when I was in my thirteenth year, there was great excitement in the town where I lived, over the favorable reports that were sent from Van Diahaan’s land, and the great inducements held out to those who would go to that country. My father and mother caught the spirit of going, and began to make preparations for leaving England. Before arrangements had been completed for us to go, however, letters were received from Upper Canada, picturing, in glowing terms, the advantages of that country. My father changed his mind immediately and made arrangements to emigrate to the town of York, afterwards called Toronto. Accordingly, on the sixteenth day of April, 1832, our family, consisting of my parents, five sons, myself and a younger sister, bade adieu to England. We had a tedious voyage of six weeks across the ocean, and my mother was sick during the entire voyage. During the passage across there were three deaths on board–one of the three being my brother Elias, whom we sorrowfully consigned to a watery grave.

Reaching Quebec in May 1832

Our ship anchored at Quebec in May, and after a tedious passage up the St. Lawrence bysteamer, we landed in safety at the town of York, June 16, thankful that we were at our journey’s end. Here we were in a strange land. And to our dismay, we found that the cholera was raging fearfully in that region; but through all of those trying scenes the Lord preserved us in health.

In the spring of 1833 we removed into the country about eight miles, to a place located in the township of York, and in the spring of 1834 I attended a Methodist camp-meeting in that neighborhood, where I formed the acquaintance of Mr. Joseph Horne, who is now my husband.

The most of the time for the next two years I lived in service in the city of Toronto, going once in three months to visit my parents. On the ninth day of May, 1836, I was married to Mr. Horne. He owned a farm about one mile from my father’s house, and I removed to his residence soon after our marriage. I now felt that I was settled in life, and, although I had not been used to farm work, I milked cows, fed pigs and chickens, and made myself at home in my new situation, seeking to make my home pleasant for my husband, and working to advance his interests. About the first of June, of that year, report came to us that a man professing to be sent of God to preach to the people would hold a meeting about a mile from our house. My husband decided that we should go and hear him. We accordingly went, and there first heard Elder Orson Pratt. We were very much pleased with his sermon. Another meeting was appointed for the following week, and Elder Pratt told us that business called him away, but his brother, Parley P. Pratt, would be with us and preach in his stead. I invited my father to go with us to hear him, and the appointed evening found all of his family at the “Mormon” meeting.

Elder Pratt told us that God was an unchangeable being–the same yesterday- today, and forever–and taught us the gospel in its purity; they showed from the Bible that the gospel was the same in all ages of the world; but many had wandered from God and the true gospel, and that the Lord had sent an angel to Joseph Smith, restoring to him the pure gospel with its gifts and blessings. My father was so delighted with the sermon that he left the Methodist Church and attended the “Mormon” meetings altogether; and in a short time every member of his family had received and obeyed the gospel.

Baptism in July 1836

This made quite a stir among the Methodists. One of the class leaders came to converse with us, and used every argument he could to convince us that Mormonism was false, but without avail. “Well,” said he, finally, “there are none but children and fools who join them,” and left us to our fate. In July (1836) I was baptized by Orson Hyde, and ever after that our house was open for meetings, and became a home for many of the elders. In the latter part of the summer of 1837 I had the great pleasure of being introduced to, and entertaining, the beloved prophet, Joseph Smith, with Sidney Rigdon and T. B. Marsh. I said to myself, “O Lord, I thank thee for granting the desire of my girlish heart, in permitting me to associate with prophets and apostles.” On shaking hands with Joseph Smith, I received the Holy Spirit in such great abundance that I felt it thrill my whole system, from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. I thought I had never beheld so lovely a countenance. Nobility and goodness were in every feature.

The saints in Kirtland removed in the following spring to Missouri. We started from Canada in March, 1838 with a small company of saints. The roads were very bad, as the frost was coming out of the ground, consequently I had to drive the team during a great portion of the journey, while my husband walked. On arriving at Huntsville, one hundred miles from Far West, we found several families of saints, and tarried a short time with them. There I was introduced to the parents of the prophet, and also to his cousin, George A. Smith. At a meeting held in that place I received a patriarchal blessing from Joseph Smith, Sr. He told me that I had to pass through a great deal of sickness, sorrow and tribulation but “The Lord will bring you through six troubles, and in the seventh He will not leave you;” all of which has verily been fulfilled.

[Mary Isabella Hales Horne, with her husband and family, reached Far West in August of that year, and received their full share of the privations incident to the settlement of that city, and also a full share of exposure, sickness and peril incident to the expulsion of the saints from Missouri. Finally thereafter they gathered to Nauvoo.]