Patty Bartlett Sessions
Patty Sessions, a convert to the Church in 1834, followed the saints in their travails. She was a midwife extraordinaire and nursed the Saints, often on a daily basis. She was an insider in the Church hierarchy and her diary is a fascinating insight into the chimeric life of the transcendent and banal.
The following are excerpts of her diary that recount the days passed in Winter Quarters. The whole account is notable and is held in the LDS Church Archives. This reprint is is taken from Women’s Voices: An Untold History of the Latter-day Saints, 1830-1900 (1982; Deseret Book).
April
Thursday 15
Lewis Robinson and family arived last night. Brought me a letter from W P Lyon. Sisters Leonard Lamb & Miller visited me today. Mr Sessions and I were caled to anoint and lay hands on sister Holman. We then went to sister Leonards. Had a feast of the spirit of the Lord. [K]nit Lucina a pair of mits.
Friday 16
I have been to a number of places to collect pay that was due me but got but one half bushel meal. Mary Elen is here cut[t]ing Carlos some clothes. This evening visited sister Pitts child. It was dying.
Saturday 17
It is dead. I [k]nit me a pair of mits. Brewed some beer.
Friday 23
We visited the sisters and brethren all day. In the evening David went to a party. They prayed and danced and prayed again. Sylvia her Father and I with a few more sisters met at Br Leonards. He was gone but Mr Sessions presided and we had a good time. We prayed prop[h]esied and spoke in toungues and interpreted and were refreshed.
May
Tuesday 18
Visited the sick in several places. Anointed and laid hands on sister Murrys son.
Wednesday 19
Visited the sick then put Jedidiah Grants wife to bed. Then went to sister Levets to meeting. 18 sisters met. We spoke in toungue[s], interpreted and had a good time.
Thursday 20
Put sister Isaac Brown to bed and visited the sick in the rain.
Friday 21
Fair weather. Visited the sick and tacked a comforter. Got 4 lb coffee of sister Benson.
NOTE: The definative eddition of the diary is Mormon Midwife The 1846-1888 Diaries of Patty Bartlett Sessions (Life Writings of Frontier Women, Volume 2).
Sounds like people got sick a lot.
Comment by Dave — 6/17/2005 @ 2:26 am
J. Have you read A Midwife’s Tale? Although it focuses on a slightly earlier period, it was fascinating to find out how involved midwives were in healing in general, not just childbirth. As an extension, they were intimately involved in ushering people out of this world as well. I have always been intrigued by Patty Sesssions — thanks for posting this.
Comment by kris — 6/17/2005 @ 7:24 am
J,
Patty Sessions is my great, great (I don’t know how many greats) grandmother. Thanks for posting this. I love the “laid hands on head”, “spoke/interpreted tongues”, and “brewed beer” combo.
Comment by Rusty — 6/17/2005 @ 10:32 am
Sadly, I’m rather poorly read kris. I’ll add that to my reading list. I agree Rusty. The simple combinations she choose to record are fabulous. There are so many great entries to choose from as well. And you are her great, great….great grandson? Lucky.
Comment by J. Stapley — 6/17/2005 @ 10:41 am
There is also a book of Patty Sessions’ journals. I can’t remember what it is called, but my grandmother Donna Toland Smart was the editor.
Comment by Hannah — 6/17/2005 @ 11:46 am
Thanks hannah, that book is Mormon Midwife The 1846-1888 Diaries of Patty Bartlett Sessions (Life Writings of Frontier Women, Volume 2). BTW, cool grandma.
Comment by J. Stapley — 6/17/2005 @ 1:51 pm
Nothing like getting together for some refreshments, prophesying, and speaking in tongues. Maybe next week we’ll learn how to brew beer
Comment by Ben S. — 6/17/2005 @ 4:39 pm
I second Kris’s recommenation of a “Midwife’s Tale.” Not only is it a great book, but it is written by a fab Mormon historian-Laurel Thatcher Ulrich.
What I think is interesting about early midwifery is that it was one of the few outlets for women of the time to earn money, practice a valuable skill, and enjoy a sense of autonomy. They brought home some bacon (although sometimes just a half bushel of meal).
Comment by Katie — 6/18/2005 @ 10:15 am
I notice she frequently mentions going to worship and having “a good time.” Did that phrase indicate that they’d had fun, as it does today? If so, I kind of envy her. Sacrament meeting is often pleasant, but…
Comment by Serenity Valley — 6/18/2005 @ 1:46 pm
SV, I thought that was rather remarkable myself:
It just seems peculiar, though I can’t put my finger on my.
Comment by J. Stapley — 6/18/2005 @ 2:09 pm
Mmm…Beer. This brings up a good question. According to last week’s Gospel Doctrine lesson, Brigham Young enforced the word of wisdom as commandment in the mid-to-late 19th century. My understanding was that it wasn’t a worthiness issue until Heber J. Grant in the early 20th century. Any comments? I haven’t had time to look this one up myself, so I’m being lazy.
Chris
Comment by Chris S. — 6/19/2005 @ 7:56 am
Oops, let me ammend my last comment. I didn’t think the Word of Wisdom was a worthiness issue until the early 20th century everywhere besides Sanpete county, Utah, where it didn’t catch on until the 1980’s.
Comment by Chris S. — 6/19/2005 @ 8:00 am
It became a temple recommend question around the mid 1920’s, and that’s when it really started being enforced strictly. Before that it was enforced irregularly or with a different understanding.
Comment by Ben S. — 6/19/2005 @ 1:14 pm
My kids are always praying to have a good time … maybe they are spiritually deeper than I think
Comment by kris — 6/19/2005 @ 2:36 pm
BTW, just got this in a newsletter:
I am trying to run down the original, as bycommonconsent.org doesn’t seem to exist.
Comment by Stephen M (Ethesis) — 9/3/2005 @ 10:56 am
Here’s the proper link Stephen:
http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2005/07/19th_century_mo.html
Thanks for the heads-up. What newsletter was this?
Comment by J. Stapley — 9/3/2005 @ 11:48 am
Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin’s religious language one. I need to forward it to you.
Comment by Stephen M (Ethesis) — 9/3/2005 @ 1:05 pm
Patty Sessions is my grandmother six generations ago and I’m so glad she kept records and wrote in her journal for the benifit of our generation.
Comment by Linda Bennington — 5/15/2006 @ 12:24 pm
Her journal is truely a treasure. You have a wonderful heritage, Linda.
Comment by J. Stapley — 5/15/2006 @ 12:41 pm
Patty Bartlett Sessions Is my 3rd great aunt. I am looking for info. on our Bartlett ancestry, or photos of her and her siblings. Perhaps someone knows a great Web site or has other personal info or photos.
Comment by LeAnn — 8/25/2006 @ 1:54 am
LeAnn, her journal is invaluable (comment #6). Todd Compton also included a biography of her in In Sacred Lonliness. There really isn’t too much about her on the web.
Comment by J. Stapley — 8/25/2006 @ 9:28 am
WOW!!! Looks like the Mormons from way back when knew how to have some real fun: Brewing beer, dancing and speaking in tongues, getting 4lbs of coffee from sister Benson- oh my, oh my,- what would my bishop and stake president say- what about the prophet???- GASP!!!
Comment by Ruby — 9/19/2006 @ 4:23 pm
Hopefully, Ruby, they would be understanding of the time in which the events occured. You should give them more credit, they deserve it.
Comment by J. Stapley — 9/19/2006 @ 4:30 pm
I think Pattys Idea of fun was a little different than what most people think of as fun today. Just like my idea of fun is a lot different than what my children think of as fun. Fun to me is spending hours at a Family History center. My kids just roll their eyes, so I can relate to Patty enjoying her meetings. In those days it was a social event, and just having a nice chat with a friend would make it great fun.
I am still looking for more Bartlett Family History. My genealogy line goes through Pattys sister Naamah. I am working on a web site. Was wondering if I could add this page to my favorite links?
Comment by LeAnn — 11/17/2006 @ 6:01 am
Please do, LeAnn. Again, I can’t recommend enough her diaries (edited by Smart) and her bio in In Sacred Lonliness.
Comment by J. Stapley — 11/17/2006 @ 11:31 am
I’m also a grandchild of Patty.
Comment by J. Spencer — 12/10/2006 @ 9:48 pm
Im probably related to a lot of people i know and dont even know it.
Comment by J. Spencer — 12/10/2006 @ 9:51 pm
I was wondereing (i’ve written allot right in a row) I had to do a paper on my ancestors (shes the one i picked) do you guys wanna know what i wrote?
Comment by J. Spencer — 12/10/2006 @ 9:59 pm
Wow. Me again. My favorite saying of Patty’s is “He left me alone; and now I’m lonesome”
Comment by J. Spencer — 12/10/2006 @ 10:07 pm
Sure, J. My email is in the about section. I’d be interested in what you wrote, if you wish to shoot it off to me.
Comment by J. Stapley — 12/10/2006 @ 10:16 pm
srry kinda new here were is the about section?
Comment by J. Spencer — 12/10/2006 @ 10:21 pm
do you know how she died?
Comment by J. Spencer — 12/10/2006 @ 10:24 pm
Patty Bartlett Sessions was a Mormon midwife in the 1800. She was born in 1846 and died 1888. She was born and raised in Maine. Patty She came across the plains with the pioneer companies. She assisted in hundreds of childbirths. Patty Sessions was an active member of the church who played a major role in founding Relief Society. She built a small fortune with orchards, doctoring, renting rooms and, savvy investments in her older days. She had two husbands and was sealed to Joseph Smith. Her first husband was David Sessions. They had seven children but only three lived to adulthood. She was sealed to Joseph Smith but still lived with David. Patty was trained as a Midwife and delivered 4,000 children. Patty’s soul purpose with Joseph Smith was to teach other prospective wives and acting as a witness at wedding ceremonies.
The Sessions moved with the Saints from the East to the Mid-West. After being bounced around in the Mid-west the Sessions left in June 5, 1847 to travel west with Brigham Young. Along the way Patty delivered many babies and lost very few. Patty took very good care of everyone in her care. She has remedies for anything anyone suffered from in her diary. Patty was alone in the prairie because David Sessions went on a Mission. In her diary she writes “He left me alone: and now I’m very lonesome.” Patty was often sick along the way but kept working. In her diary she often tells of visiting the sick and going to funerals. When Patty Sessions began her trail diary, she knew she was on the move to an unknown destination. She had faith in her leaders. She believed in her abilities to endure the trip and to take care of others. She relied on the women who were her counterparts and their spiritual role. Patty Sessions made it to the Salt Lake Valley in September of that year. She did much more when she settled down again she did much more such as teach and fund schools. She died at eighty-eight. Close to the end all it says in her diary is today I knit. I didn’t even go to meeting.
That is a lot to type
Comment by J. Spencer — 12/10/2006 @ 10:27 pm
Hello again,
Thanks J. Spencer for the fun info. on Patty. I have a binder full of stuff on the Bartlett Family in Maine. I would like to add your comment to my binder. What is the source for your material? Do you own Patty’s original Diary, or do you know where it is located?
What I had not heard before is the reason that Patty was sealed to Joseph. Where did you find that information?
I have records that Patty was also married after David passed away. To John Parry, sealed for time, at Salt Lake.
I am still working on a web site. I will share the address when I think it is good enough to share.
Does any one know where I might find a copy of book suggested, In Sacred Lonliness?
Leann
Comment by Leann — 12/11/2006 @ 5:23 pm
Leann, her diary is available in paperback for $20 (The manuscript is in the LDS Archives). In Sacred Loneliness is available for $27. Here is another several paragraph bio.
Comment by J. Stapley — 12/11/2006 @ 5:34 pm
I just remembered that most of Patty’s Original Diary (or Copy ?)would be located at LDS Church Archives, but maybe someone has other personal records, or other diaries,etc.?
Comment by Leann — 12/11/2006 @ 5:50 pm
WOW, Your quick on the draw. I wrote and sent comment #36 before I relized that you had already responded with comment #35. Thank You, for the information.
Comment by Leann — 12/11/2006 @ 6:03 pm
You want to know what else is funny?
Her daughter was sealed to Joseph before she was.
I just use her diary or other documents.
Comment by J. Spencer — 1/2/2007 @ 8:41 pm
I did know that Sylvia Lyons had also been sealed to Joseph. I think perhaps, in those early days of the church, that Joseph understood the concept of poligamy, but perhaps the proper protocal had not yet been revealed.
Today there is a proper protocal for the way things are done in the church, from the way that a calling is issued, to the way callings are fulfilled. Proper protocal is followed for all things done in the church. The proper protocal must be followed in order for our service in the church to be acceptable to God.
So, I am not terribly concerned about how many wifes are sealed to Joseph, or that some of them were married to someone else at the time. We do Temple work knowing that the individuals concerned still have free agency to accept or reject this work. So I trust that all these woman will choose what is best for them. My thinking is that most of them will choose the spouse that they married first, and that they have children with.
I do not beleive that woman who where poligamists, are woman with out faces, or that they are forgotten or lost in our LDS history. In fact they are very much a part of it.
I will be bold in saying that allot of LDS today come from this heritage, and our pioneer ancestors have given us a proud heritage. Every person should be proud of their own beginnings.
Comment by Leann — 3/19/2007 @ 1:44 am
I have found a lot of conflicting information on whether or not David Sessions was actually on the migration with Patty/when David actually went on his mission. Does anyone have any solid information on this?
Comment by Brooke — 4/2/2007 @ 9:57 pm
Brooke, I’m not sure what you are asking. David Sr. crossed the plains in the late 1840’s with Patty and then died in 1850.
Comment by J. Stapley — 4/2/2007 @ 10:27 pm
There is a small Bio on David Sessions in Book ‘Pioneers and Prominent men of Utah’. The book is on microfiche in every LDS genealogy center. David came to Utah Sept 24 1847 in his son Perrigrine Sessions company. The Bio states that David died in Salt Lake City 1850. Davids Bio has Pattys Mother wrong. Patty’s mother was Anna Hall.
In Patty’s Diary she writes “August 11 ^1850^ Mr. Sessions my husband died. After his death I built me a house where I now ^live^ in Salt Lake City, moved into it the 3 of Dec 1850.”
1n 1996 published in a magazine called Pioneer Magazine by Sons of Utah Pioneers, is an artical on Patty it says “The whole family settled in Utah in 1847, on the present site of the Union Pacific Railroad Station in S.L.C..” This gives me the impression that they did come together. Patty Bartlett Sessions grave is in Bountiful.
I do not know anything about David’s mission, but that information should be in Church records.
Brooke I would like to know more about your conflicting information.
Comment by Leann — 4/14/2007 @ 5:47 pm
You can get the family’s copy of her diary and documents as to the family including the temple record of her endowment. David and Perrigrine with one his wives (Juliane Kilgore I think) from the land and title office at Nauvoo. It’s a ton of printing but has land records, the family copy of the journals, and geaneology.
Linda Bennington
Comment by Linda Bennington — 7/14/2008 @ 1:49 pm
It is nice to see that someone is responding again to the Patty Bartlett Sessions blog. Interesting Linda that you would make your comment on the 14 of July. I just made a Nauvoo trip and was there from the 11-16th and was in the Nauvoo Land and record office on the afternoon of the 14th or 15th.creating a cd with probably the very information you mention. What fun! Leann
Comment by Leann — 8/12/2008 @ 12:15 am
She is my great, great, great, great grandma! WAY COOL!
Comment by Becky Deleeuw — 8/25/2008 @ 12:10 pm
my 2nd great grandfather is John Parry whom Patty was married to also in SLC any info on this marriage. I don’t think they had any children, and I wonder why they were married.
Comment by g hatch — 11/2/2008 @ 4:21 am
This information about Patty Bartlett and John Perry is on a web site called Western Maine Saints.
Maybe it will help with some of your questions.
In December 1851, Patty married again, and wrote in her diary that she was thankful to have a man to cut firewood for her. John Parry had come to the valley of the Great Salt Lake with a group of eighty-five Welsh converts in the 1849 emigration with the George A. Smith Company. John
Comment by Leann — 1/27/2009 @ 9:33 pm
I read some of the comments written in the past and was reminded that I had mentioned my web site and that I would share the address. Which is: christensengenealogy.mysite.com
I am still working on my site so please forgive the imperfections.
For Session and Bartlett information, go to ‘Tripp Links’ then ‘Bartlett Links’
I update the site as often as I can, so check back for more links in the future.
Comment by Leann — 1/27/2009 @ 9:51 pm
I have fun at Church, I speak in tongues and interpret. We dance some while worshiping.There are prophecies sometimes,I am not a Mormon.
We have coffee fellowship, I don’t like beer, but sometimes have a glass of wine. Don’t be drunk with wine where in excess, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Patty Session was raised Methodist, maybe some of her upbringing was incorporated into her Mormonism?
Did you know she married Joseph Smith while she was still married to her own husband David?
Comment by Trudy — 9/19/2009 @ 10:44 pm
I’m glad you have fun at your Pentacostal church, Trudy. Many early Mormons converted from Methodism or Methodist schismatic groups (Brigham Young, for example). Even Joseph Smith was partial to the methodists. The proscription against coffee and alcohol weren’t systematically enforced in Mormonism until the 1920s. However, if you were to study early Mormonism, I think that much of what you cherish from your post-Azusa Street revival experience was anticipated by Mormonism. Also JS’s marriage to Sessions is well documented in the sources described in the original post and comments.
Comment by J. Stapley — 9/20/2009 @ 12:48 pm
Dear Mr. Stapley,
I have studied early Mormonism. I am pentecostal I suppose, or Charismatic if you will, but this did not come as post-Azusa street, it comes right from the 2nd chapter of Acts in the Bible.
What do you think about Joseph Smith being married(sealed for time and all eternity) to 34 wives, 11 of them already having husbands and 10 being teenagers, with 7 under 18?
Also this is what Smith said God told him about all other faiths: 19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all awrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those bprofessors were all ccorrupt; that: “they ddraw near to me with their lips, but their ehearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the fcommandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the gpower thereof.
So much for fondness of the Methodists.
looking forward to your next post, Trudy
Comment by Trudy — 10/1/2009 @ 10:14 pm
Trudy, my opinion about JS’s plural marriages are informed by a fair amount of study. But they aren’t particularly relevant to this thread on Patty Sessions. It is easy to make lurid claims, when you your aim is to denigrate.
Note that God told Joseph Smith that their “creeds” were an abomination. Many Christian churches have viewed creeds an abomination. I would reed Hatch’s Democratization of American Christianity for Second Great Awakening context on this. Your dismal of Smith’s affinity for the Methodists betrays your lack of context. Also, the comments about the forms and the power, is part of the classic debate on “formalism” of which John Wesley (father of Methodism), was part.
Let’s not pursue this on this thread. You can check out more recent posts of mine at By Common Consent.
Comment by J. Stapley — 10/5/2009 @ 7:06 pm