Compiled by Kara Seager-Segalla
Posted on worldconnect.rootsweb.com, last updated 2006-01-11
Used by permission
• ID: I0134
• Name: Jane Adeline YOUNG 1
• Sex: F
• Birth: 17 DEC 1834 in Hopkinton, Massacusetts, USA
• Death: 11 APR 1907 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA
• Occupation: Housewife
• Religion: L.D.S., Christian Science
• Burial: UK21010 Salt Lake City Cemetery
• Note:
Jane Adeline Young
Original Pioneer of 1850
By Kara Seager-Segalla, 1999
Jane Adeline Young was the daughter of Joseph Young and Jane Adeline Bicknell. The Young line came from English descent, the earliest in America being William Young born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1658.
Before we can begin the life of Jane Adeline Young, we need first to see what was happening in the lives of her parents. This will help us understand the circumstances of her birth.
Joseph Young was the elder brother of Brigham Young. Joseph was born April 7, 1797, in the little town of Hopkinton, Mass. His father was John Young, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, and his mother was Nabbie Howe. Both his father and mother were well educated and highly cultured. When a boy, Joseph learned to paint and glaze, and earned some money to help with the family expenses.
Joseph's childhood and early youth were spent at home, where his nature was stimulated by the Christian precept, characterizing his parents. In those days, the villages and towns of New England were extremely puritanical. Church services on the Sabbath day were regularly attended, and during the week the children were taught with strict discipline. Joseph became an enthusiastic member of the Methodist church and was an itinerant preacher, often traveling for miles through the forests to carry a gospel message to some poor soul. With his brothers, Brigham and Phineas, he became known far and wide for his sweet singing of the Wesleyan hymns.
In the early spring of 1832, Joseph's brother, Brigham Young, brought the glad tidings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, as announced by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Joseph's religious enthusiasm proved to be a genuine love of truth, and he was easily converted to the principles of the gospel, which he received with a grateful and believing heart. He was baptized April 6, 1832, by Elder Daniel Bowen in Columbia, Pennsylvania, and a few days afterwards was ordained an Elder under the hands of Ezra Landen. After preaching in the state of New York for several months, he went on a mission to Canada in the summer of 1832, in the company of his brother, Phineas, and others. They raised up two small branches, and returned in about four months. He then went to Kirtland, Ohio, with his brother, Brigham, and Heber C. Kimball. His next mission was to Canada in the winter of 1832 and 1833, again in the company of his brother, Brigham. Here they raised up a branch of about twenty members in West Lowboro. They were gone about six weeks and baptized about forty people.
Joseph Young married Jane Adeline Bicknell on February 18, 1834, in Geneseo, Livingston, New York. The circumstances of their courtship are unknown. Jane Adeline Bicknell was born Aug. 14, 1814, in Utica, Oneida, New York, to Calvin Bicknell and Chloe Seymour. Joseph Young and Jane Bicknell's first child was Jane Adeline Young, the character of this history, born on Dec. 17, 1834, in Hopkinton, Middlesex, Mass. (Some histories state that Jane Adeline Young was born in Kirtland, Ohio.)
Joseph Young and his family moved to Kirtland, Ohio, where they built a home and had two more children, Joseph Bicknell, born Feb. 5, 1836, and Seymour Bicknell, born Oct. 3, 1837.
In 1834, at the request of the Prophet, Joseph Young, with his brother Brigham, went to Zion's Camp in Missouri. During the following February an event occurred which would help to bring about the perfect organization of the LDS Church. The Prophet called Brigham and Joseph Young into his private room one morning and there made known to them his intention of organizing the quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the first quorum of the Seventies. Turning to Brigham, he instructed him to notify all the nearby branches of the Church to meet in Kirtland two weeks from that date. "At which time," said he, "I shall choose and ordain the Twelve Apostles, and you, Brother Brigham, will be one of them." Turning then to Joseph, the Prophet said, "Brother Joseph, the Lord has made you president of all the Seventy." Joseph Young was chosen and ordained to the Seventies on February 28, 1835, under the hands of Joseph Smith. On March 1, 1835, he was ordained the president of the Seventies, a position which he honorably filled during the remainder of his life.
In 1835, Joseph filled a mission to the states of New York and Massachusetts, in the company of Burr Riggs. They traveled and preached in many places, sowing the seeds of the gospel as they journeyed along. In 1836, after having received his blessings in the Temple at Kirtland, Joseph accompanied his brother, Brigham, east to visit relatives and friends. They preached the gospel to them and bore testimony of the latter-day work. This mission occupied several months, and subsequently many of their relatives and friends came into the Church.
Conditions in Kirtland became unsettled due to apostasy and persecution. As the violence against the Saints and their leaders escalated, it became unsafe for them to remain in Kirtland. The Prophet Joseph Smith, whose life was in grave danger, fled Kirtland in January of 1838, for Far West, Missouri. During 1838, most of the faithful Saints were also forced to leave. On July 6, 1838, Joseph Young with his wife and three young children moved to Missouri, along with other Saints in their company.
It took them four months to make the 1,000-mile journey since they were forced to stop at times to work for food and clothes. They arrived at the small community at Haun's Mill on Shoal Creek, Caldwell Co., Missouri, on October 28, 1838. The Young family remained there until Tuesday the 30th, when they witnessed a horrid massacre, but were miraculously preserved. The neighbors of the Missouri Mormons, whom they called "Gentiles", began to quarrel with them. Resulting in a fight called the "Massacre at Haun's Mill", where 17 men and boys were killed and 15 wounded. The Young family was able to escape by hiding in the woods. After the massacre, only a few able-bodied men remained, including Joseph Young. Because they feared the return of the mob, there was no time to dig conventional graves. Joseph Young helped to bury the dead by throwing them into a dry well, forming a mass grave. Dirt and straw were then thrown in to cover the dreadful scene. Jane Adeline Young would have been at the tender age of four years at the time.
In the winter of 1838 and 1839, Joseph Young and his family, together with the rest of the Saints, were driven out of the state of Missouri, under the extermination order of Governor Boggs. In their travels, Joseph Young was accompanied by his father, John Young, who was one of the first patriarchs of the Church. They arrived at Quincy, Illinois, in May, where Joseph engaged in farming during the season. While in Quincy, John Young died, and was buried there in an unmarked grave.
In the spring of 1840, the Young family removed to Commerce, afterwards called Nauvoo, where Joseph followed the occupation of painting and glazing, and attended to his labors as senior president of the quorums of Seventies. He helped to build the Nauvoo temple and was at the first meeting of its dedication. As a child, Jane Adeline Young was a member of the Nauvoo, Illinois Third Ward.
While the years in Nauvoo provided many happy times for the Saints, persecution soon began again. Other "Gentiles" were jealous of the Mormon political influence. Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum, and other church leaders were arrested again and jailed in Carthage, a town a few miles from Nauvoo. On June 27, 1844, a mob attacked the jail and shot both Joseph and Hyrum to death. Jane Adeline Young would have been ten years old at the time.
Even after the murder of the Prophet, when the Saints realized they must shortly leave Nauvoo, they increased their commitment to completing the temple. The attic of the unfinished temple was dedicated as that part of the structure where the endowment ordinance would be administered. The Saints were anxious to receive these sacred ordinances. Almost 6,000 Saints received their endowments before leaving Nauvoo, including Joseph Young and Jane A. Bicknell on Dec. 12, 1845.
On Jan. 16, 1846, Joseph Young entered into plural marriage. He married two women: Lucinda Allen, born June 2, 1824, in Dresden Centre, New York, to Nehemiah Allen and Hannah Dunham; and Lydia Flemming. Both of these marriages took place in Nauvoo. On Feb. 6, 1846, Joseph Young married a widow with five children, Mary Ann Huntley Burnham, born on March 14, 1816, daughter of Allen Huntley and Sally Hitchcock. It is unknown what exactly happened to these other families, except we do know that Lucinda Allen came to Utah in 1848 in Brigham Young's company.
Brigham Young, Jane Adeline Young's uncle, and President of the Twelve Apostles, became the leader of the main body of the Church and directed its exodus from Nauvoo. Thousands followed him. In 1846, the Mormons were forced to leave Illinois. Jane Adeline Young experienced all of the trials and tribulations of the Mormon pioneers during her childhood and early youth. She was twelve years old when the Saints left Nauvo
Joseph Young and his family went to Carterville, Iowa, where another child, Chloe Eliza Young, was born to Jane A. Bicknell on Sept. 1, 1848. The Young family then went to Council Bluffs where they lived in a dugout for eighteen months, preparing with others to go west. In those days, they lived on corn meal mush and corn bread.
Under Brigham Young's leadership, the Mormons set out toward the West. After years of violence and persecution in the Midwest, they sought an isolated area where they could permanently settle and practice their religion in peace. The Great Basin became their chosen Zion, especially since it was considered a desert wasteland. Brigham Young and his party arrived in the valley of the Great Salt Lake in 1847, and picked that site for a settlement. The rest soon followed.
On June 15, 1850, when Jane Adeline Young was fifteen years of age, Joseph Young and his family left for Utah by ox team in Wilford Woodruff's hundred, and arrived in Salt Lake City on September 29th of that same year. The journey over the plains was characteristic of the Mormon migrations in those days. Here is an extract from a letter Joseph wrote to one of his kinsmen at Winter Quarters:
"Tonight we camped on the Platte River, just opposite Grand Island. We had a good supper, for we had exchanged a few pounds of flour with Indians for some fresh buffalo tongues. The Indians also had some salt, which they gave us. In the evening after supper, we gathered around the fire and sang hymns and told stories. After the evening prayer, we went to our wagons, and slept soundly. We are happy, for the Spirit of God is in the Camp of Israel."
After arriving in Salt Lake City, Joseph was furnished a small house on the spot near what is now Second South and Commercial Street. Joseph Young and Jane A. Bicknell had three more children born to them while living in Salt Lake. Rhoda was born June 19, 1851; Henrietta was born Dec. 5, 1853; and Brigham Bicknell was born April 23, 1856.
Jane Adeline Young continued to live with her parents in Salt Lake City until the age of 21, when she met and married a young man by the name of Charles Burtis Robbins. They were married on Nov. 22, 1855 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. Brigham Young performed the ceremony.
Concerning Charles Burtis Robbins and his history, at age 11 he sailed with his parents and other Saints on the ship "Brooklyn" from New York City, around Cape Horn, to California in 1846. His father found a profitable gold mine and became wealthy. At age 15, Charles, along with his family, left San Francisco and returned to New Jersey by way of the Isthmus of Panama. His father still owned a farm and wanted to return and settle his business there. They stayed in New Jersey until the spring of 1853, when they crossed the plains to the Salt Lake Valley.
After Charles and Jane Adeline were married, they lived in the 17th ward at the family home of Charles's parents, which was located at 58 North 2nd West (now 3rd West). Over time, Charles and Jane became the parents of nine children. Charlotte Adeline was born Dec. 22, 1856; Henry was born Jan. 18, 1859; John Young was born March 16, 1860; and Alice Edna was born Nov. 25, 1862. All of these children were born in Salt Lake City, Utah. Charles Robert was born March 3, 1865; Joseph Burtis was born June 28, 1867; Seymour Bicknell was born Dec. 20, 1869; LeGrande was born Feb. 24, 1872; and George Young was born Feb. 2, 1875. All of these children were born after they moved to Logan, Utah.
Jane Adeline Young's days would have been long and busy. The course of her domestic life would have been typical of the pioneers of that era. There was little that could be bought from stores, so they made nearly everything. Experiencing multiple childbirths, she bore nine children, but raised only eight because of the early death of her first son, Henry. She worked with unselfish energy despite the difficult circumstances of that time period, and was able to help colonize Utah from its onset.
Jane Adeline's husband, Charles Robbins, served in the cavalry, obtaining the rank of major in the Utah militia. After he served in the Echo Canyon War, he settled in Logan, Utah, where Mr. Robbins opened a mercantile establishment. Later he served as a city councilman, and served for many years as the city's first fire chief.
During the pioneer period many more women came to Utah than men. President Brigham Young advised men to marry additional women who were alone, to give them homes and families. About two percent of Mormon men were called to live in plural marriages, and most of those had two wives. The wives usually lived in separate homes and had direct responsibility for their own children. Where the wives lived near each other, the husbands usually visited each wife on a daily or weekly basis.
A young lady, Martha Allen, after her conversion to the LDS faith, emigrated from England to Utah in 1861. In 1864, she went to Logan and joined the employ of Charles Robbins. A year later, Martha became the second wife of Charles. They were married on July 7, 1865 and had three children: Frank, Florette, and Martha. All of these children were born in Logan, Utah.
Jane Adeline Young's husband married Harriet Vilate Pitkin Robinson as third wife on Jan. 24, 1878. She was a widow with two girls. Charles and Harriet had three children: Harriet Vilate, William Kennedy, and Emma Louise.
Jane Adeline Young and the second wife, Martha, got along fairly well and lived in polygamy together for thirteen years. When Charles Robbins married Harriet, however, Jane Adeline Young had difficulty adjusting to this third wife. In 1880, Jane Adeline Young sold her Logan home and moved to Salt Lake City to be close to her mother. She decided to move mainly because of her and her mother's anti-polygamy sentiments, but also because she had embraced the Christian Science faith, which was founded in 1879. This religion became a popular alternative for people of that time period, because it reinstated primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing. Jane Adeline Young took her entire family with her except for her married daughter, Charlotte. She would have been 46 years old at the time. She lived independently for another 27 years until her death.
Charles B. Robbins passed away on Nov. 10, 1905. Jane Adeline lived another two years. She died on April 11, 1907, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
About Jane Adeline Young Robbins children:
Charlotte Adeline Robbins married John Mathews on March 1, 1878. They had eight children, Charles, Eugene Denton, Leon Robbins, Lytton, Edna, Afton (died as an infant), Easton Robbins, and LaNez. Charlotte Adeline Robbins resided at Providence, Cache Co., Utah. She died Nov. 3, 1934.
Henry Robbins died the same day he was born.
John Young Robbins married Emily May Maiben on Feb. 17, 1886. Their children were: John Lester, Addie May (died as a child), Harry Charles, Alice Edna, and Afton Robbins. John Young Robbins died on Sept. 13, 1941, in Salt Lake City, and is buried at Wasatch Lawn Cemetery.
Alice Edna Robbins married first Charles Donaldson on April 10, 1882; and second Rudolph Drescher Dumbeck. She resided in Salt Lake City, and died March 9, 1918.
Charles Robert Robbins married first Lizzie Rebecca Leaker on May 1, 1889. Their children were: Charles Persey, Elizabeth Robbins, Marie, and Caroline. Charles Robert Robbins married second Mary Louisa Belnap on Aug. 13, 1941. Keeley's of Salt Lake City employed Charles R. Robbins for 35 years. He died Nov. 12, 1956.
Joseph Burtis Robbins married Ellen Francine France on Dec. 18, 1889. Their children were: Calvin Bicknell, Dr. Burtis France, and Thelma Ellen. Joseph Burtis Robbins was president of Keeleys Ice Cream Co., which he helped organize. He died July 2, 1958, and is buried in the Salt Lake City cemetery.
Seymour Bicknell Robbins married Josephine Solomon on June 15, 1899. Their children were: Seymour Kenneth, Emma Louise, and Doris. Seymour Bicknell Robbins died July 30, 1945.
LeGrande Robbins married first Florence May Phillips on April 15, 1892. Their children were: Marcus LeGrande, Daffodil, Donaldson Phillips, William Phillips, and Florence. LeGrande Robbins married second Olive Davis. He resided in Salt Lake City and died Aug. 2, 1947.
George Young Robbins married Margaret Mary Rawle on Dec. 4, 1901. Their children were: Adeline Rawle, Clarice (died as a child), Camille Rawle, Alice Edna, Rudolph Dumbeck (aka R.D)., Fern Rawle, and Marjorie Rawle. George Young Robbins resided in Salt Lake City, Utah and died June 16, 1939.
Sources:
1. History of Charles Burtis Robbins by Fern Rawle Robbins McKendric, granddaughter of Charles Burtis Robbins and Jane Adeline Young, 1984.
2. Charles Burtis Robbins by Carolyn T. Jensen, descendant of Martha Allen and Charles Burtis Robbins, 1996.
3. Harriet Vilate Pitkin by Clara Seager McRae, descendant of Harriet V. Pitkin and William Kennedy Robinson, 1988.
4. Our Heritage, by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, pages 74-75.
5. Obituaries of Joseph Young, Charles Burtis Robbins, Joseph Burtis Robbins, and Charles Robert Robbins.
6. Family group sheet of Charles Burtis Robbins and Jane Adeline Young by Dr. Joseph Evans, grandson.
7. www.familysearch.org
8. The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, July, 1914, on Joseph Young, by Levi Edgar Young.
9. Nauvoo Temple endowment registers.
Father: Joseph YOUNG
Mother: Jane Adeline BICKNELL
Marriage 1 Charles Burtis ROBBINS b: 21 SEP 1834 in Reckleston, Burlington, New Jersey, USA
Children
Sources: