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I am Julina Lambson Smith. My mother and father arrived in [the] Great Salt Lake Valley in Sept. 1847. They had the first house in the valley that was plastered inside. My father mixed the plaster with hairs from his cow. After their fourth child was born father was called by Pres. Young to go back to Nebraska. He was to check pioneer wagons before they started across the plains. He left his shop and all his equipment with a friend, who was to give a certain percentage of all he took in to my mother. However, this man took everything and disappeared. We lived from our cow and a small garden and mother made hats to make a little money. Mother’s sister, Bathsheba, persuaded me to go and live with her so her daughter could have a little sister, and although only nine, I knew my family would have more to eat if I went. Mother lived only a block away and I would run to see her nearly every day.

Something very special happened when I was about fifteen. I became acquainted with a handsome young man who was often in my Uncle George A. Smith’s home. The historian’s office was in part of Pres. George A. Smith’s home as he was the Church Historian. When Joseph F. Smith returned from his third mission he assisted as a clerk in the Historian’s Office.

I often saw him and admired him. I thought he was the most handsome and finest man I had ever seen. I didn’t think for a moment that he had ever really noticed me, but later I learned he had watched me for some time and had fallen in love with me. When he proposed marriage int he hall of the Historian’s Office I was somewhat frightened and also happily surprised. I answered him by saying “I will not marry anyone unless my Uncle George approves.” Joseph went immediately to Uncle George A., who was also a second father to him, and asked for my hand. He said, “Joseph, there isn’t a young man in the world I would rather give her to.”

We were married May 5, 1866 and I went to live with him and his wife Levira. Levira had very poor health and I loved her as a sister as I took care of her. Her mother was not completely converted to the church and when Joseph was away, she persuaded her to leave him and go to California. We were both very sad, but soon after our first baby Josephine arrived.

Joseph was then called to be an Apostle and soon after Pres. Young requested him to marry again. Together we chose Sarah Richards and we became dear friends.

We all grieved as Sarah lost her first child and I was then blessed with another baby girl whom we named Mary in memory of Joseph’s beloved mother. Death came once again and took our darling chatterbox Josephine.

Soon after Papa married my sister Edna (and eventually Alice and Mary) more rooms were added to the house. We loved each other and worked together. In March 1872 Edna gave birth to Joseph’s first son. He was named Hyrum Mack. Six months later I had my third little daughter. Donnette. Joseph made up her name; remembering his dear Uncle Don Carlos and his first wife Levira Annette.

I took a course in obstetrics and became a skilled and licensed practitioner in obstetrics. I brought nearly 1,000 babies into the world. I practiced the profession for many years being called out night or day and going by horse and buggy to deliver a new baby. It was always a joy to me to place a tiny one for the first time in its mother’s arms for I felt again the thrill I felt with my own. This included going daily for five or six days caring for the mother and child.

My first three children were daughters and no mother ever loved her babies more than I did mine, but as most mothers do, I desired a son. I prayed that I might have a son if I was worthy to raise one to walk in his father’s footsteps and be true to the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, otherwise I would be satisfied with daughters, for children I must have. In my first son, as in my second, third and fourth my prayer was fully answered, for they were all a mother could ask for.

As our families grew we divided the work and learned to share and love each other, often without a missionary husband. The children scarcely knew the difference between their mothers. The most trying time was during the underground years. The children had to scatter away from home for days at time. I had to leave five little ones and take one baby for what I thought would be a trip of two months. The time lengthened and Papa and I were in the Hawaiian Islands for two years away from our precious babies. AFter two and one half years I was so homesick we decided I would leave and go to my little ones at home. Joseph wept when we left. He was a homesick as I was.

The time came when individual homes were needed and when Joseph became President of the Church I was asked to move into the Beehive House. While living in the Beehive House I worked hard and tired to be a gracious hostess to may visitors, dignitaries, and friends. I was active on the Relief Society General Board. My children were a great help, and along with all the responsibilities and work, there was great happiness in our home. We were privileged to celebrate our fiftieth wedding anniversary.

Still in my memory are those happy days, and I can see as a moving picture the familiar games, the races run after the pears when the wind blew hard, the thumping for ripe watermelons, the shelling of peas and stringing of beans brought in from the garden, the climbing of the giant locust tree after bird’s nests–with the patching that followed–the harnessing of old Meg ready for a drive, or perhaps the bustling off to school after the morning prayer and breakfast, and as the night comes on the tired boys and girls. Again I see the father as he goes from room to room and bed to bed so that every one is tucked in for the night. Such memories as these come when I think of the old home when we shared all things in common.

I wrote to Hyrum who was presiding over the European Mission. His wife wrote in her response to this letter, “Dear Aunt Julina, your most welcome letter and most appreciated letter of May 12 was duly received. The children had just gone to school so Hyrum and I sat down quietly to read and enjoy the news of our loved ones at home. Then I read this part of your letter ‘after a good cleaning, the place looked so nice that it almost made me homesick. I saw the little children playing in my big room–the one they used to make their playground and the one they were never sent out of.’ I looked up at Hyrum and the big tears were rolling down his face and he said, “That is true. I never remember being sent out of the room by Aunt Julina in my life and they were sure happy days.” Then he went on and told about the great quantity of fruit that was grown in the orchard and how all the children that were large enough peeled and prepared this fruit for drying and then he related many other reminiscences and wound up by saying, “By Jove, they were happy days.”

After Papa was taken from us I had to move again and make another great adjustment. I spent most of my time, as long as my health permitted, as a set-apart Temple worker.

I had eleven children and adopted two and reared all but one to adulthood. I always made every effort to see that my children never neglected an assignment in the church. It is my prayer now that everyone of them and their children will remember this and always be faithful to the Church and in so doing will show their love for Papa and me and all the Mammas.