Autobiography of Caroline Eliza Nickerson Hubbard Grover, typescript, Family and Land and Records Office, LDS Visitors Center, Nauvoo, Illinois, Grammer (in some instances) has been standardized.
[page 1] This is a copy of a history written by Carolina Eliza Nickerson Hubbard Grover in Terrance, Utah, 6 February 1881.
"A Genealogy in part of C.E. Hubbard's parentage and family"
Carolina Eliza Nickerson was born in Cavindish [Cavendish], Vermont [Windsor County], 25 June 1808, daughter of Freeman and Hulda Chapman Nickerson. Her father's name was Eliphalet, Her mother's name was Abigail Chase, born in Providence, Rhode Island.
Eliphalet Chapman was born in Connecticut, moved to Vermont in 1770. Hulda Chapman was born in Cavindish [Cavendish], Vermont, 19 August 1780, and married Freeman Nickerson in 1799. The names of their children were: Data Nickerson, born 1 [11?] September 1802; Moses Chapman Nickerson, born 9 March 1804; Elezaer Freeman Nickerson, born 12 April 1805; Caroline Eliza Nickerson, born 25 June 1808 in Vermont; Samuel Stillman Nickerson born in 1810[?]; Uriah [Uriel] Chittenden Nickerson, born 14 November 1812 in Vermont.
My [Freeman Nickerson] father served in the War of 1812, drafted 20 men and marched to Plattsburg and served in the war until its close. When he returned home in 1814, he moved to the state of Pennsylvania, Susquehanna County, where my brother, Levi, was born after 1 [on 2nd] April 1814. Hulda Abigail [was] born 16 April 1816. Senica Sullivan was born in May 1818. He died in July following. All [were] born in Springvile, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. These were all of my brothers and sisters.
My parents moved to New York State in the winter of 1824, Buffalo Township, seven miles down the river Niagara. The Erie Canal was finished in June 1824. I saw General Lafayette when he made his last tour to America. He rode on a canal boat, making his obeisance to the multitudes that were gathered to greet him with a hearty welcome to America, the proud land of liberty for which he had served with Washington, the great commander-in-chief of the nation.
In 1825 my father moved to Perrysburg, Cattaraugus, New York State, where I was married to Marshall Moore Hubbard, son of Elisha and Elizabeth Powers Hubbard. Marshall Hubbard was born in Rochester, Vermont, in July 1805. He had seven brothers and three sister [sic], all born in Vermont. His parents moved to New York State in 1827, Perrysburg.
Caroline Eliza Nickerson was married to Marshall Moore Hubbard, 18 September 1827, by Esq. Cooper. Now the births and names of our children: Mary Eliza Hubbard, 4 January 1829; Caroline Mariah, born 11 March 1831; Julda Emma, born 27 August 1833, in Perrysburg.
Here we were both baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in connection with all of my father's family. Brothers Zerubbabel Snow and Amasa Lyman were our first elders. Brother Snow baptized most of my father's family: Father; Mother; my mother's [family], Abigail Chapman, then 80 years of age, my Aunt Abigail, my [page 2] mother's sister; my sister, Data, and her husband, George Passmore; my brothers, Chittenden and Levi; sister, Hulda, and myself. This was 1833. But Amasa Lyman baptized Marshall. All were good in faith and all of us were baptized in the spring of 1833 [April].
Father Nickerson, my husband, Marshall Hubbard, and my two brothers, Chittenden and Levi, went up to Missouri in the Camp of Zion in A.D. 1834 with the Prophet Joseph Smith for the redemption of Zion, from New York State, leaving me with my two little babies, Mary and Caroline, with my . . . which Brother Joseph said the sacrifice [was] accepted and they were entitled to the martyr's crown, for they had offered their lives for the redemption of affliced Zion. They were then released to return to their families and friends after journeying from their homes taking all for their journey and also helping the Prophet Joseph to fit up the camp from Kirtland from where the full camp was gathered together clear from the state of Maine, some of them.
And when on the Salt River, where the camp was reorganized, Marshall Hubbard was chosen [one of] the three out of the company to a special guard to the Prophet, lying at his tent door to watch for the approach of the enemy, from which he had contracted a crooked arm, lying on it with a rifle on right side ready at any moment for action. He also had the cholera in the camp in Missouri, but was healed by faith and the laying on of hands, and returned to [New] Yrok State in September to his family in company with my father and two brothers. All were well satisfied, bearing their testimonies that they knew that Brother Joseph was a prophet of the Lord. This is a true record thus far.
Now I bear a faithful testimony after 48 years' experience that I know this is the true work of God and Joseph Smith was a true prophet. I knew him well in life, and saw him with his brother, Hyrum, in their death. I viewed two of the noblest martyrs that ever fell. I am still rejoicing in the Latter-day faith, for I know this work is true. It is the kingdom of God, and this is ever my testimony to all that I meet, and all that will have yet to bow to the scepter sooner or later. I know my faith is sure and steadfast, and may I ever remain steadfast is my prayer. Amen and amen.
On February, 1836, we left [New] York State to gather up to Missouri, traveling through Canada on business, then to Michigan where we arrived in October, where we had land and stayed to sell or dispose of it, which we could not do. We remained here for about two years. Here a son was born 5 March 1838 in Lenawee an unknown place , Ogden Township, Michigan. We named him Elisha Freeman Hubbard, 5 March 1838, Ogden, Lenawee an unknown place , Michigan.
[page 3] Marshall Moore Hubbard died 18 Sep 1838 of congestive chills, leaving me with my four children and in a land of strangers far from home and friends.
I then, in a few weeks after, left for [New] York State where my father's family were making ready to journey to Missouri, which time we journeyed together. Brother Emery Barrus, who had married my sister Hulda, with their two children, myself with my four children, my father, mother and my two brothers, Chittenden and Moses, with their wives, all took our journey to Missouri where we arrived just in time to be turned back by the mob, for they had just expelled our brethren from the state. We made our way back thence to Quincy, [Illinois], where we remained until the Saints began to gather to Commerce in the fall of 1839, I believe. Amongst the first families where we lived in at an unknown age tent made of a wagon cover and some bed clothes until Christmas week, when through much labor of my sister and myself, we got into a log cabin built in a rude manner, for we split stakes for a door, cupboard and a roof, logs split in two for a floor with a.....? and maul. This myself and Sister Barrus done most of, for Father Mother, Brother Emery Barrus, Levi, and my children were sick with the fever and ague shaking every day. On the 11 of January my dear little Emma died of exposure, being 4 years and 5 months old. This was the year 1840.
There was sorrow and mourning amongst the Saints, for much death and misery abounded. And many died as martyrs through exposure being driven by ruthless mobs, etc. Now this was a time to know whether Mormonism was true, each for ourselves, for many were the hardships and much suffering was the common lot of the Saints. But God cared for his people and brought us through it all with an outstretched arm. Now these were some of our trials, but our faith failed not.
On February 20th, 1841, I was married to Brother Thomas Grover. Through the providence of God, he was left alone in October 1849 [1839] with six little girls. The mother and the seventh girl died, and now we were married, making in all a family of nine children, the oldest not eleven years, Elisha Hubbard, the only boy in the family which seemed quite a task of me now indeed. Now in ten months was added another girl, born 17 December 1841, named Percia Cornelia Grover, which now made up our ten children.
Mr. Grover was sent on a special mission by the Prophet Joseph all the next three years through Michigan, Canada, [New] York State, and also acting as a high conselor in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In August 27, 1843, we had a son born named Leonard Grover, and [page 4] he only lived twenty-four hours. This was his firstborn son and in September, 1844, after Joseph Smith's death, another daughter [was] born, 11 September, in Nauvoo. She died July, 1845.
Now was the time of plural marriage. Thomas Grover had taken Betsey Foot and in December, 1844, he took Hannah Tupper to wife. She had her first son in November, 1845, in [New] York State.
In 1846 we left Nauvoo after having our endowments in the temple in Nauvoo. Now was the time of trial, for in crossing the Mississippi River the boat was sunk by the helm bering tromped off by one of our oxen. Twenty-two souls were on the flatboat. All seemed lost, but her [sic] another miraculous escape. Now all seemed lost, but it was on a sand bar and the wagons were all under water. But they burst off the cover of our wagon and all crawled up and held onto the bows, my little girl, three years old, saying, "Lord, save my little heart." Not one soul perished. All got off safely onto another boat and were brought to the shore....the loss of most things, but our provisions wagon was not aboard the boat, so all was well at last, through the mercy of God.
Now we traveled in cold snow and frozen weather until we reach [Mount] Pisgah, four months on the way, about 150 miles from Nauvoo. From this point on I returned to Nauvoo in July on business and on September 27, 1845, another son was born to Thomas Grover. His name is Marshall Hubbard Grover. On the 29th, one day after, we crossed the river, living out of doors and traveling for seven weeks before he was even dressed in a house after the first day. This is only a little of my suffering.
Caroline E. Grover