That much of this was due to his wise government and upright example, none who knew him will doubt, but that it was also largely the result of the nobility of character displayed by the true and faithful women who honored him as husband, father and friend, there is as little room for question. We can only regret that circumstances uncontrollable prevent our dwelling in detail upon their heroic lives and virtues. Only here and there an incident, by modesty reluctantly supplied, has been furnished in response to solicitation for the purposes of this work.
We are enabled, however, to present in this chapter a complete list of the members of Heber's family, the names of the wives and children which God had given him, with whatever incidents relating to them that have come into the author's possession.
Reference has already been made to the fact that, before leaving Nauvoo, Heber, like many of his brethren, had entered upon his career as a polygamic patriarch. The story of Sarah Noon, his second wife, has been partly told in a former chapter. The other wives we cannot name in their order, but will speak of them in proceeding as the course of our narrative suggests.
VILATE MURRAY,*[A] Heber's first wife, was the mother of ten children.
Their names are as follows:
[Footnote A: The star attached to names in this chapter signifies deceased.]
Judith Marvin,*
William Henry,
Helen Mar,
Roswell Heber,*
Heber Parley,*
David Patten,*
Charles Spaulding,
Brigham Willard,*
Solomon Farnham,
Murray Gould.*
Heber's children by Sarah Noon were:
Adelbert Henry,*
Sarah Helen,*
Heber.*
Sarah, it will be remembered, was a widow with two little daughters when he married her. The names of these children were Betsy and Harriet Noon.
After the death of the Prophet Joseph, who had also taken many wives, most of his widows were married, for time, to Brigham, Heber and others of the martyr's brethren. The wives of the Prophet who wedded Heber C. Kimball were Sarah Ann Whitney,* eldest daughter of Bishop N. K. Whitney; Lucy Walker, Prescindia Huntington, Sarah Lawrence, Mary Houston, Martha McBride.+[A] Sylvia P. Sessions,* Nancy Maria Smith+ and Sarah Scott.+