Abigail Blodgett (King) Burbank
Abigail Blodgett (King) Burbank
2nd wife of Daniel Mark Burbank Sr.
One day in the early nineteenth Century Daniel Mark Burbank a young river boat pilot entered a restaurant on the banks of the Mississippi River. There he meet a lovely young widow by the name of Abigail Blodgett King who later became his wife.
Abigail Blodgett was born March 26 iSli so she was more than four years older than Daniel Mark Burbank who was born 3 December 1814. Tynsborough, Middlesex, Massachusetts was her birth place and also the scene of her first marriage to Elijah H. King of Boston Massachusetts whom she wed 6 September 1830. She was only 19 years old at the time of her first marriage. Daniel Mark had been married prior to Lydia Vanblaricom, who had died the year before.
Nothing is known of her childhood days only that she was the 12th child of a family of 15. Its interesting because her husband Daniel Mark was the 10th child of a family of 11.
Her Father Thadeus Blodgett was 3rd great grandson of the Immigrant Thomas Blodgett, a Glover by trade, who came on the ship "Increase" from London with a wife and two sons in 1635.
Abigail and Daniel were married 3 Aug 1839 at Naples Illinois, where they lived until the spring of 1941. He continued his piloting on the river and sometimes earned as much as $100.00 per day. In 1844 they moved to Nauvoo Illinois about 90 miles west on the Mississippi River. Here 11 April 1844 Daniel Mark was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by William Smith brother of the Prophet, in the river at the place called Nauvoo House. We do not have Abigails baptism date but it was probably about the same time as her husband's.
In the north part of the city of Nauvoo, just three blocks from the temple, they lived until the fall of l845 when they moved three miles north east to a farm. Two children were born to them in Nauvoo, a boy Joseph Smith Burbank and then Mary Lydia. Little Joseph died at 6 years of age. They became closely associated with the Prophet. Daniel Mark was a athlete, doctor and body guard.
Abigail and Daniel were among those who were privileged to receive their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple , which they did 16 January 1S46, and on the following day were sealed to each other for time and all eternity.
The same year 1S46 which was two years after the martyrdom of the prophet Joseph, persecution became so fierce that they left home, Orchard and cattle and their beloved temple to the mob and moved to Farmington Iowa. Here their third child was barn, Daniel Mark on 10 June 1846. that fall another move took them west again and as a result they were living at Council Bluffs Iowa when Abigail gave birth to baby Abigail in l848 and two years later 4 may 1850 to Laura.
In 1852 with their four children the Burbanks again started west with the saints to seek peace where they might live unmolested. Daniel was tttade captain over a company.
It seemed that Abigails life was not to know peace and quiet for while on the journey toward it she contracted the dreaded disease cholera. The women in the company were afraid to nurse her for fear of catching it from her. The captain's wife and two young girls 16 years old were the only ones brave enough to care for her. Sarah Z. Southworth was one of these. They did their best but the cholera was not to be conquered and on July 20 1852 she died on the plains beside the platte River near Sweet Water Nebraska. The two girls nursed, washed her, dressed her in her underclothing and nightgown and sewed a sheet and quilt around her body. She was buried at night with out a coffin in a humble grave while the wolves howled nearby. Sarah Southworth said it was horrible to hear the dirt thrown in on her body. The spot was covered with brush to keep the wolves off and in the Tnorning the company moved on and took four motherless children.
Daniel Mark Burbank later married Sarah Z. Southworth.