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Edna Lambson Smith was the daughter of Alfred Boaz and Melissa Jane Bigler Lambson. Her father was born at Royalton, New York and her mother in Harrison County, West Virginia. They were fore-handed, industrious and independent. Their daughter Edna was born March 3, 1851 in Salt Lake city. She was early inured to the toils and privations incident to those pioneer days, and indeed, one prominent feature of her character was more than likely deeply fostered, if not actually implanted, by the varying circumstances of those primitive and faith-trying times. One story well illustrates the trustful faith of the child, which has been so marked a characteristic of all her subsequent life.
Edna was never robust, although of an intensely lively and energetic disposition. Her appetite was often capricious and her tastes were fitful. She was but a child during the “hard times” of 1854-5 and the daily corn bread relished by others was distasteful and at times unbearable to Edna. She longed for the delicacies of a fuller diet, and when she longed she knew no reason why she should not pray for that longing to be fulfilled.
One day the child sat upon her mother’s doorstep thinking of the dear delights of “white bread” (this is, bread made of wheat flour), potatoes and of juicy steak. At once it occurred to her to kneel down and ask God to send her some potatoes and meat and “white bread.” She then sat down and wait for the answer to her prayer. Not long after she arose and saw coming up to the house and aged man with a basket on his arm. Who he was or where he came from did not occur to the childish imagination, not does she clearly remember even now who or what he was. But he had brought to this distressed household a small sack of wheat flour, about a dozen potatoes and a small piece of beef. To Edna, this was the direct answer to her prayer–and who shall say it was not? Her mother cooked a pancake of the flour and fried a piece of meat at once for the delicate and longing child who had thus so clearly been treated to a direct providential answer to her prayer. This circumstance fostered faith in the childish mind–simple direct and exquisite faith–and that was the keynote to her character and life. Of all her dominant traits that of faith, pure, simple, childlike trust in God and His servants, was one of her most striking features.
When she was a girl of fifteen, she had a severe and almost fatal illness. Her elder sister, Julina, was married to Joesph F. Smith and to the girl cam her sister and the young husband. All night the brother-in-law bent above the sinking girls and kept his hands upon her head, praying again and again, rebuking death, and invoking the power of life and health by virtue of his calling. And death stole away in the still morning hours and left the little girl alive–weak, but delivered. That, too, was a memory of God’s providence which made an indelible impression upon the plastic mind of her youth.
Her mother was a hard worker. She wove hats from reeds gathered along the banks of the Jordan River and sold them to help support her family. She was very clean and particular, especially concerning modesty. One day when Edna went horseback riding with a boy friend her mother reprimanded her, saying it was not ladylike for a girl to ride horses.
Edna was married to Joseph F. Smith on the 1st day of January 1871. She began her married life under the roof of her husband’s home, and together with her sister and friend, Sarah Richards Smith, the three girls made on of the most remarkable and unique family histories ever engraved on the annals of the Church. For in spite of the natural handicaps of loving devotion to husband and desire for personal recognition these unusual and brave girls helped to make an ideal “Mormon” home where the children were brought up with tender reverence for father and mothers, with loving devotion to each other and a loyalty which amounted almost to clannishness in this blessed and happy household.
In spite of being very happy in the old home, sharing with Julina and Sarah she was exceptionally happy to move into her new home, next door south of Sarah’s, the address being 143 North 2nd West.
She was the mother of ten wonderful children. She lost four as children, Alfred Jason, Albert Jesse, Robert and Ruth. She reared six to adulthood. She then lost Zina and Hyrum before she died. This was very hard on her as Zina was a young mother with one daughter and Hyrum was an Apostle with four beautiful children and another one on the way. Alvin, Melissa, Emma and Martha survived her.
Edna was a worker in the cause of salvation for the dead from her girlhood. She was invited by President Brigham Young to accept a position in the Endowment House in 1874 and labored in that House until it was closed in 1884. She ministered to all those who came to her with prudent devotion and she ever evinced the most jealous watch care of the sacred things pertaining to her calling. No temptations of society or fascinations of culture–note even the easing of her own burdens ever was successful in drawing away the stern young devotee from the shrine of truth. Duty first, pleasure afterwards, was the invincible creed which made the life and character of this firm and devoted Latter-day Saint.
She worked in Relief Society and served on the Salt Lake Stake Primary Board for many years, besides giving many talks in the wards, mainly on the importance of Temple work. She worked also in the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. She learned obstetrics and delivered many babies and assisted Julina in bringing many of the babies of the family into the world. She graduated from Maggie Shipp’s school of obstetrics. Most of her work was charity work for most people who sent for her were unable to pay for this service. She never refused to go when called whether it was night or day and in the hundreds of cases she waited upon, she never lost a Mother or baby. The fee charged, when someone could pay was $5.00.
She kept her children home and encouraged the neighbor children to play in her yard, as she often remarked, “If they are here I know what they are doing while if they go to the neighbors I don’t know.” The Smith premises were like a public play ground. In her early married life she used to weave carpets to help support her little family while her husband was on foreign missions.
Upon the completion of the Salt Lake Temple and its dedication in April 1893, she was selected as one of the women workers and upon the death of Bathsheba W. Smith September 29, 1910, she became the President of the Women Workers which position she held until her release June 26, 1922. Her resignation was accepted and she was honorably released.
A social was held for her June 26, 1922 in the Temple Annex. Tributes were paid by President Heber J. Grant, George F. Richards, George Albert Smith, Richard R. Lyman, Albert W. Davis, David A. Smith and others, expressing appreciation for her many years of service.
Music was furnished by the Temple Quartet and Professor William C. Clive rendered violin selections. About two hundred persons were present. After the program she was presented with a set of handsomely bound standard works of the Church. Refreshments were then served to all present.
In 1905, she was appointed by John R. Winder to take charge of the Interior of the Salt Lake Temple and supervise the changes then being made in the great structure. President Winder then acting president of the Temple “realized that the natural quickness of a woman’s eye would discover many conditions that a man would not see and hence happily made the appointment which proved very satisfactory to all concerned.”
In 1916, because of her long experience in the Temple work she was again selected by Joseph F. Smith and Charles W. Nibley to go to Logan to assist int he supervising of extensive improvements in the Logan Temple. These improvements made the Temple thoroughly modern and cost in the neighborhood of $40,000.
Edna L. Smith was a student of the scriptures, thoroughly versed in the doctrines of the Church, and an able defender of the Gospel from all angles. The standard works of the Church were always found on her Library table and were the most read books in her collection.
When her husband was conversing on matters pertaining to the Gospel she would leave her household affairs and listen as did Mary of old. When her children were small she would gather them and the neighbor children in her home and tell them Bible stories.
She had a delightful trip with Joseph in 1906 to Europe where he went to visit the European Missions.
Edna met with an accident near her home on February 26, 1926 and passed away in her home at 143 North 2nd West in Salt Lake city on February 28, 1926 at the age of 75 years.