Daughter of Isaac Mitton Stewart and Elizabeth White, born March 4, 2858, at Draper, Salt Lake County, Utah. Blessed by Isaac Mitton Stewart.
Baptized by Absolom Smith, 1866, and confirmed by Lauritz Smith 1866, Draper, Utah.
Commenced schooling at Draper Utah.
Married Richard Alando Ballantyne December 17, 1875 by Daniel H. Wells in the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, Utah Ü and endowed same time and place.
Patriarchal Blessing by Thomas Richardson August 29, 1879, Ogden, Utah, and by Richard Ballantyne February 8, 1875, Ogden, Utah.
Height 5Í2î. Weight 154 lbs. Chest size about 36î. Color of eyes, gray. Color of hair, black. General condition of health, good.
Died April 3, 1925 at Logan, Utah, of high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries.
From her Journal
When 13 years of age I was chosen to act in the first organization of the Retrenchment Association at Draper and acted as teacher in the Relief Society at the same time. Was married in my 17th year on the 27th day of November 1875 to Richard A. Ballantyne of Ogden, Utah, a bookkeeper in the Lumber affairs of Barnard White, he being 27 years of age. He was a good Latter-day Saint and it was revealed to me in answer to prayer that he would be my future husband. He had a new brick house with three rooms well furnished to take me to when we began life very happy. In this home we had three children born as„Delecta, Elizabeth, and Richard S. In 1879 my husband was to go on a mission and left me in bed with my daughter Elizabeth only seven days old. When I was able to go to Draper my mother took me and my two children to her home in Draper and remained there until my husbandÍs return from his mission November 21, 1880. While there I made 39 dresses for my motherÍs family. We moved back to Ogden where my son Richard Stewart was born December 25, 1881`. In March 1882 we bought a farm in Draper and moved there. We remained there eight years Ü while in Draper I did much public work, was first councellor to Mary Ann Ridiout in the Y.L. M. I. A. for eight years Ü three children were born here: Alando, Leona and Geneva. During the last three years of our stay there we had undergrounders, those who violated the Edmunds Law for practicing polygamy; during all that time, two of the women had children born to them there. During there confinements I cared for them and their babies. We had to go at night two miles for doctors Ü to wait on them and give them comfort. The last one who was there, Annie Moench, I cared for sixteen weeks.
When I went to Salt Lake City with here I was completely worn out and nervous. On returning on the train it seemed I was drowned with troubles. When I noticed Elder Patterson opposite me. He arose, took my hand and said to me, ñThe spirit tells me to bless you.î He did bless me and promised me every blessing my heart desired. He also told me the Lord had accepted my labors and was pleased with what I had done and the peace of God was in my Home. Soon after this my beloved father died on the 14 March 1890. He had been Bishop of Draper 34 years. We moved to Ogden 1890 and located in the 3rd Ward where five more children were born to me. I was chosen first councellor to Marie Eccles in the Y. L. M. I. A. I was also president of the Relief Society there a short time. We moved to Logan ...(line missing)
In Logan I was a member of the Cache Stake Primary Board for several years which I enjoyed.
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She was a member of the Society of the Daughters of the Pioneers in which she took an active part.
She began work in the Salt Lake Temple for our dead ancestors, the Ballantyne and Bannerman families, 8th day of May 1894 and continued at times when she could until the 27th day of March 1925 when she was endowed for one of our women. She was proxy in the sealing of 457 wives to their husbands and as mother over 400 times in the sealing of children to parents. She was affected with hardening of the arteries which caused high blood pressure and heart trouble, which terminated in her death on the 3rd day of April 1925. Account of her funeral services enclosed. She was always active in the Relief Societies organizations in the wards where she lived.
From the journal of her granddaughter, Mary Ellen Burton, Workman:
ñGrandmother Mary Ann Stewart Ballantyne was a beautiful, kind and loving grandmother. She and Grandfather visited us once in a while. She had beautiful white hair, fastened neatly in a bun at the back, near the crown. It was always crimped and fluffy, and a real crown of glory. She died in April of 1925, when I was eleven. Many things were brought forth in her funeral sermon in Logan. We didn't go, but Mother did and told me about it many times afterward.
Grandmother was a woman of great faith. For a few years after they were married, she and Grandfather lived in Draper. Then they moved to Ogden. After the Salt Lake Temple was finished, she regularly rode the train and spent one day a week in the Temple. One day, returning from the temple on the train her legs were paining a great deal because of her varicose veins. (It was before the birth of one of her daughters) She thought "Oh if I could just receive a blessing, my legs could be healed." At this time a Sister Kimball, if I remember correctly had had the power to administer given to her by the president of the church because so many men were on the "underground" which means in hiding because of polygamy, that families were functioning without the priesthood. Sister Kimball was on the same train as Grandmother Ballantyne, and right after grandmother had wished for a blessing, Sister Kimball came down the aisle and spoke to her saying, "I perceive you have a desire for a blessing. Your desires are granted unto you." From that moment grandmothers legs were healed and never gave her any more problems!
Another story of grandmother's faith comes from her latter years, when they were living in Logan Utah. It was her practice to visit sick friends in the hospital. Frequently as she would come to the bedside they would ask her to kneel by their bed and pray for them because "If you pray for me I know I'll get well." They had faith in her great faith.
She and grandfather had a great love for one another, and when she died in 1925, grandfather was very lonely, though he was blessed to have two unmarried daughters at home evenings and mornings. He spent his days in the temple as much as possible.
My sister Esther was in Logan attending the Church Academy (later it became the Agricultural College) and the winter of 1925/26 she had an attack of appendicitis. Grandfather went to administer to her and when returning home was struck by a car as he was stepping upon the curb. His pant leg caught on the car and he was dragged a little ways. He was nearly 80. He head received severe cuts and bruises which soon developed into cancer. He suffered a great deal that summer. Late in the summer mother went to Logan to help care for him. One day in Sept. he kept calling "Mary, Mary!" Thinking he was calling her, the younger daughter Mary went into the room. He said "No, not you - now she is gone." and he looked up into the corner of the room. It was his wife who was near - she had apparently come for him and a day or so later he passed on, looking so happy the family knew he was glad to be with his sweetheart again. They were fortunate to have only been separated a year and five and one half months.î (page 30, Autobiography)