Person Page - 1275

     Joseph Smith, Jr. was the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement and an important religious and political figure in the United States. In 1827, Smith announced that an angel had given him a set of golden plates describing a history of ancient American peoples. He said that he translated these plates by the gift and power of God. Smith then published the resulting narratives as the Book of Mormon. Based on this book and a series of revelations, Smith founded the Church of Christ in western New York, claiming it to be a restoration of early Christianity.

     Emma Hale Smith Bidamon as married to Joseph Smith, Jr., until his death in 1844, and was an early leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, during Joseph Smith's lifetime and afterward as a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS, now the Community of Christ).

     Elizabeth de Clare (16 September 1295 –4 November 1360) was the heiress to the lordships of Clare, Suffolk in England and Usk in Wales. She was one of three daughters of Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Hertford and Joan of Acre, and sister of the infant fourth earl, also Gilbert de Clare.

She accompanied her brother Gilbert to Ireland for their double wedding to two siblings: the son and daughter of the Earl of Ulster. Elizabeth married John de Burgh on 30 September 1308.

He was the heir to the Earl of Ulster, and Elizabeth could expect to be a countess. She gave birth to their only child, a son, in 1312; he would become William Donn de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster. Only a year later, her husband John was suddenly killed in a minor skirmish. Now a widow, Elizabeth remained in Ireland until another family tragedy demanded her return.

Her brother Gilbert was killed at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 aged only 23 and, as he left no surviving issue and had no brothers, his property was equally divided between his three full sisters, Elizabeth, Eleanor and Margaret. Suddenly Elizabeth was one of the greatest heiresses in England. Her uncle, King Edward II, recalled her to the land of her birth so he could select a husband for her. She left Ireland in 1316, leaving behind her young son, William. Elizabeth never returned.

Edward II placed her in Bristol Castle, but his plans to marry her to one of his supporters were dashed in February 1316, when Elizabeth was abducted from Bristol by Theobald II de Verdun, the former Justiciar of Ireland. He and Elizabeth had been engaged before she was called back to England. She was Lady Verdun for only six months however, for Theobald died on 27 July 1316, at Alton, Staffordshire, of typhoid. He left behind three daughters from a prior marriage and Elizabeth, who was pregnant. She fled to Amesbury Priory, where she stayed under the protection of her aunt Mary de Burgh, who was a nun there, and where Theobald's posthumous daughter, Isabel de Verdun, named after the Queen, was born on 21 March 1317[1].

Just a few weeks later after Isabel's birth, Edward II married Elizabeth to Sir Roger D'Amory, Lord D'Amory, Baron of Armoy in Ireland.

D'Amory had been a knight in her brother's service who rose to prominence as a favourite of Edward II. Now married to him, Elizabeth was caught up in the political upheavals of her uncle's reign. She gave birth to another daughter, Elizabeth, in May 1318. Roger was reckless and violent, and made a deadly enemy of his brother-in-law, Hugh the younger Despenser. D'Amory switched sides over to Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, and died in March 1322, having been captured by royalist forces. Elizabeth was taken and imprisoned at Barking Abbey with her children by the victorious faction.¹

     Lady William Cavendish-Bentinck.