Eighteen members and guests attended the July 14 meeting of the Colchester Area Historical Society. Craig Rigg presented “Sisters of the Prophet,” a program about the sisters of Joseph Smith Jr., founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and their connections to Colchester and eastern Hancock County. The sisters remained in the area rather than traveling west to Utah.
Sophronia Stoddard McClarry (1803–1876) moved to Colchester with her daughter, Mariah Woolley, and both were buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery.
Katharine Smith Salisbury (1813–1900) lived in the Fountain Green area and was buried at Webster Cemetery. Lucy Smith (1821–1882) married Arthur Millikin and lived in Colchester, where he mined coal and later became a railroad agent. During the early years of their marriage, the couple cared for her mother Lucy Mack Smith. The Millikins were buried at Widow Moore Cemetery near Colchester.
More information is available in Rigg’s two articles in Community News Brief.
The next meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on September 8 in the Colchester City Hall Community Room, 500 East Roberts Street. The program will be announced.
Craig Rigg Photo by Marilyn Shelley
