Brief Life Sketch

Lydia is Willis’ great-grandmother and Angie’s great-great grandmother.

Joseph and Miriam Howe Clisbee with their children, Calvin and three daughters, Elsa, Phoebe Lee and the subject of this sketch lived in Eastern Massachusetts. Among the great sugar maples and orchards in Pittsburgh, Berkshire. Each man had his own tobacco patch and Negroes to do the drudgery. Here Lydia was born, Sept. 26, 1793. She remembered the death of George Washington and the gloom that over spread all the country at the sad tidings.

Lydia married Edward Partridge and went west to Painesville, Ohio, here were born the following children: Eliza Mara, Harriet Pamela, Emily, Don, Caroline Ely, and Lydia. [Edward Partridge Jr. was born later].

Edward was a hatter, and he and all his girls made hats. They would take the straw as it came from the threshing machine and braid it into hats. Each hat sold for no more than twenty-five cents.

The family were baptised into the Campellite Church in Mentor, Ohio by Sidney Rigdon, who was a leader in that sect. Edward was thirty-eight and Lydia, thirty-three. Here they accumulated a handsome property and he extended his mercantile interests into the flourishing town of Kirtland, Ohio.

Fate was destined to change the whole current of their lives. This was heralded by the arrival in Kirtland by Parley P. Pratt, Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer Jr., and Ziba Peterson, Traveling west on their mission to preach the gospel to the Indians and to acquaint them with the Book of Mormon. They held a great many revivals. Their message attracted the attention of many of the Disciples, as the zealous Cambellites were called. One of the first to declare himself converted was the shining light, Sidney Rigdon, a Campbellite preacher and many of his congregation followed among those greatly interested men Edward and Lydia. But Edward must make a personal visit to the would-be-Prophet, Joseph Smith, and investigate first hand, while Lydia remained in Kirtland to take care of the children, meet many of the slurs and rebuffs thrown at the believers of the "Golden Bible."

In facing the change that was coming to her, Lydia gathered around her, her daughters and in deep humility and earnestness importuned God for light and satisfaction. Her prayer was answered and tho Edward was in Fayette, New York visiting with the Prophet and was baptised by him in the Senaca River, his convictions were no firmer than hers, as she offered her private devotions by her own hearthside. Those who knew both of these people referred to them as "Patterns of Piety."

Joseph was very such impressed with Edward Partridge and straight way told Sidney Rigdon to ordain him an elder and commanded him to preach the Gospel. This was Dec. 16, 1836 (?) - For two months, Lydia and her daughters conducted business affairs at home and Edward Partridge preached the gospel in New York. In February, Joseph Smith and his wife, Emma, with Sidney Rigdon accompanied Edward to Kirtland, where Lydia entertained them in her home and was baptized and assisted in final disposition of there property so that they may be free to abide by the revelation to the Prophet as recorded in Sec 41 [verse 9] of the Doc. of Cov.. This was a fast moving panorama for Lydia, who up to this time, never knew want, nor hardship but whose life had been one of ease.

In June 1831 (?) Edward went with the Prophet, Martin Harris, Sidney Rigdon and others to Missouri. In July they reached Independence. In August, Lydia received word that she was to prepare to come to the land of Zion. Edward’s letter closed with these words: “I have a strong desire to return to Painsville this fall but I must not; you know I stand in an important station. I sometimes feel it is above what I can perform to the acceptance of my Heavenly Father. I hope that you and I may so conduct ourselves as to ………. [next page missing]

Lydia Clisbee Partridge

Brief Life Sketch