Second wife of Jesse N. Smith was born May 22, 1838 in Benton County, Tennessee–the sixth of 10 children of Samuel W. and Margaret C. West. She joined the church at 8 years old and came to Utah with her parents later. Margaret was married to Jesse N. Smith, January 27, 1956 in Parowan (she was a younger sister to Emma, first wife of Jesse N.)
They were blessed with two children-ADELAIDE MARGARET, born February 13, 1857 in Parowan, Utah; JOSEPH WEST, born September 6, 1859, in Minersville, Utah.
Margaret died in Parowan, Utah, February 1, 1864 (supposedly of acute appendicitis) . At this time Jesse N. Smith was presiding over the Scandinavian Mission and did not arrive home until October of that year. The word about Margaret’s death reached him in Copenhagen through letter a from his brother Silas. The letter was six weeks on the way.
Margaret’s two children were tenderly cared for by their Aunt Emma, who reared them as her own. Emma received valuable aid in the early training of both her own and Margaret’s children from their grandmother Mary Aikens Smith.
During the brief 8 year period of Margaret’s married life, her husband was actually away from home most of the time in church, civic or military service.
(By Della Smith Miller, granddaughter)